Cornell University closes Ithaca campus due to increased COVID-19 cases: Coronavirus Update: NPR
Cornell University announces closure of its Ithaca, NY campus, due to an increase in cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19.
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Cornell University is about to close Ithaca, NY, its campus and moving to “red alert level” – that’s the highest alert level – due to what officials say is the rapid spread of COVID-19 cases among students.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the campus had reported 469 cases of active students with the coronavirus, and for the week of December 6, about 3% tested positive among students tested, according to Cornell’s Online COVID Dashboard.
In an online letter to students, Cornell University President Martha Pollack said the campus’ COVID-19 testing lab team had found evidence of omicron variant “in a significant number of active student samples Monday.”
Due to the campus-wide closure, Pollack said all final exams for the fall semester will be moved online and all campus activities, including athletics on campus. schools, are cancelled. School libraries are also closed to students.
In addition, the school’s autumn graduate recognition ceremony scheduled for December 18 was also cancelled.
In response to the surge in COVID-19 cases and evidence of the Omicron variant, Cornell is moving to Level of Warning Red and announcing several immediate measures, including final tests that will moved online at noon on December 14.https://t.co/Scj0FZBEuA
– Cornell University (@Cornell) December 14, 2021
“While I would like to offer reassurance that, to date, we have not seen severe illness in any of the infected students, we do have a role to play in reducing the spread of the disease,” Pollack said. in the broader community,” Pollack said.
Joel Malina, vice president of university relations, told NPR in an emailed statement that over the past 20 months, the university has developed and followed a “science-based approach” to decision-making. COVID-19 decision.
The decisions, including modeling checks and ongoing surveillance, have helped campus officials identify positive cases early and minimize the spread of the virus. on campus, Malina said.
“Almost every case of the Omicron variant to date has been detected in fully vaccinated students, some of whom have also been vaccinated. We have not seen evidence of significant disease in children. his students,” he added.
Malina said school officials are assisting students who have tested positive to complete their mandatory 10-day quarantine period and will help students who have tested negative to return home safely. All during winter break.
Cornell’s last day of school is December 7, according to the campus calendar. Fall final exams for students are scheduled for December 11-18.
