With 150 active COVID-19 cases among students as the second week of classes comes to an end, Lehigh’s COVID-19 response team shared updated guidelines with the campus community today.
Testing is being made more widely available for those who are asymptomatic but identified as a close contact or mildly symptomatic at the STEPS tent. Students who are symptomatic should continue to contact the Health and Wellness Center to arrange testing.
On Sept. 4, the Health and Wellness Center will have extended hours and limited appointments to accommodate testing.
Additional testing options are available through Lehigh Valley Health Network and other local healthcare providers and pharmacies.
Professors have been given the option to hold their classes in a remote or hybrid setting for the week of Sept. 6 to accommodate students in isolation and quarantine, the email said.
Faculty will now have access to a dashboard reporting the number of positive cases in their classrooms, the email said.
Masks will now be required at all outdoor events and gatherings where social distancing between individuals is not possible.
Indoor gatherings not supervised by faculty or staff will be capped at 25 people and outdoor gatherings will be encouraged when possible.
“Our goal is to immediately flatten the rise in new cases and our hope is that these new health and safety measures—which will continue through, at least Friday, September 10—will be temporary,” the email said.
Taylor Gym as well as the gym in Singleton, Hitch & Maida Houses will be closed through Sept. 7 due to staffing issues, the email said.
Future updates regarding dining will be forthcoming, the email said.
The email said the majority of cases so far have been breakthroughs with few or mild symptoms.
1 Comment
If cases are mild or asymptotic then what are you worried about. Let it go & run it’s course thru the student body & move on with classes.
I can see it now where they stop playing football again because some players have COVID but not even enough to perform subpar.
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