WestConn to announce COVID plan for spring semester

DANBURY — Western Connecticut State University is on a temporary virtual schedule this week as officials develop COVID-19 plans for the spring semester.

Campus deans, vice presidents and other officials met Monday morning to discuss how to handle rising COVID-19 cases when students return later this month, university spokesman Paul Steinmetz said. Another meeting with university counterparts and central office is planned for Monday afternoon, he said.

He expects a plan could be announced on Tuesday morning.

President John B. Clark announced on New Year’s Eve that the university would move to a “temporary virtual schedule” for this week. Members of the police department and maintenance union are working in-person, but business and administrative staff who can work remotely are working from home, he said.

“In the meantime, I ask everyone who is physically able to please obtain vaccinations as well as booster shots,” Clark said in a message to the university. “If you are sick, do not come to campus. If you are on campus, masks are mandatory. Employees who have questions about remote work should contact their supervisors.”

The campus community — including residential and commuter students, as well as faculty and staff — had an average positivity rate of 1.69 percent in the fall semester, according to the university’s COVID dashboard. The infection rate for residential students alone was at 2.52 percent.

The postivity rate fluctuated week by week, hitting a high 7.58 percent for the campus community on the week of Dec. 6. On some weeks, the positivity rate was under 1 percent or even zero percent.

Vaccinations were required, with some exceptions. The campus community was 93 percent vaccinated by the week of Dec. 13.