‘A Rise in Positive Cases on Campus’: 10 Students Test Positive for COVID-19
A student gets tested for COVID-19 at the Gettysburg’s testing center in Plank Gym (Photo Mary Frasier/The Gettysburgian)
By Katie Oglesby, News Editor
Interim Vice President for College Life and Dean of Students Jeff Foster sent out a campus-wide email on Friday to update the campus community on the current state of COVID-19 on campus—a total of ten students tested positive this week. This news came after nearly three weeks of zero positive test results.
According to the college’s COVID-19 dashboard, seven students are in isolation and nine are in the most restrictive level of quarantine.
“Per our protocols, we are in the process of notifying all positive students, relocating students to isolation and quarantine space, and working through our contact tracing process,” said Foster.
Students were reminded to report for testing twice a week, and that those who miss their COVID-19 tests twice will be assigned to remote study.
“Let’s redouble our efforts to keep the community safe and to have the spring semester we’ve all been working hard to obtain,” wrote Foster and Assistant Vice President of College Life Darrien Davenport. “Wear your mask, physically distance, and avoid large gatherings.”
Friday’s communication from the college also indicated that the alert level may move away from its current moderate status, and that new mitigation strategies could be put in place if conditions continue to worsen. So far, 12 students have been assigned to permanent remote study and 47 have been moved to short-term remote study after violations of the college’s health and safety protocols this semester.
“Let’s work together to bring our student cases back down this week,” Foster said. “It is my hope, by informing you of this shift now, that we can direct our focus on what we need to do individually and collectively to make this goal come to fruition.”
