Lehigh University goes remote, closes libraries

After seeing a sharp increase of COVID-19 cases among students this week, Lehigh University announced Thursday that all classes would be remote, and that libraries, gyms and other facilities would be closed.

In an email to staff and students, the university’s COVID response team noted that on Wednesday, there were 34 newinfections, and that early test results showed 63 more positive cases among students who weren’t experiencing symptoms.

Lehigh, like other universities across the country, set up coronavirus testing for all students and staff this week, encouraging people with positive results to stay put. The hope is that students with the virus will not travel home for the Thanksgiving break, bringing the infection with them.

On Thursday, Lehigh’s COVID-19 dashboard showed 91 active cases, about a quarter of the total cases recorded since the start of the pandemic.

Students are being asked to associate only with others from their household, which for dorm residents, means those in the same suite, wing or floor.

Lehigh is on break next week, having altered its schedule before the start of the semester so that students would not have to return after Thanksgiving. The university already had planned for classes to go remote in December.

Lafayette College, where students had been learning online, in October closed its shared facilities to curb the spread of the virus. That month, Lehigh went fully remote for two weeks after experiencing an increase in cases.