The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Yale urges students to limit amount of time spent off campus
NEW HAVEN — Yale University is asking students to limit the time they spend off campus amid rising cases of COVID-19 around the New Haven area.
New Haven and all surrounding municipalities are considered “orange alert zones” by state health officials, a designation used to highlight communities where the virus is spiking.
In light of that, and amid the presidential election, Yale University asked students Monday to avoid indoor dining at restaurants and use delivery options instead, and reminded them to wear a mask inside stores.
“Vote, of course. But limiting the amount of time off campus will help keep you and members of the broader New Haven community healthy,” Dr. Stephanie Spangler, the university’s COVID-19 coordinator wrote.
Students were also asked to limit travel out of town until the November recess and to be mindful of capacity limits on shared spaces on campus, such as labs and libraries.
The school said students were also mindful during Halloween.
“The majority of Yale students celebrated Halloween just as we hoped they would: carefully, with great respect for the fellow members of their community,” Spangler wrote.
Yale has reported a steady increase in cases over the past seven days, according to the university’s COVID-19 data.
Forty-eight new cases have been identified since Oct. 27— 22 among faculty and staff, the remaining 26 among students.
The figure falls short of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, which reported 55 new cases among students since Tuesday. The spike prompted officials there to announce classes will be held online only through the end of the week.
The university has also raised its own alert level to orange. Quinnipiac officials reported 83 cases within the past seven days, bringing the school’s cumulative number of cases so far this semester to 139.
The University of New Haven, which previously raised its alert level to orange before dropping back to green in late October, is also taking precautions.
The West Haven university has continued carry out-only dining, according to Summer McGee, the university’s COVID-19 coordinator.
“The University is currently reviewing its operational status in light of recent case counts,” McGee said in response to an email from Hearst Connecticut Media. “We have seen an increase in students reporting symptoms this week and positive cases in our commuter student population.”
As of Tuesday, the school reported seven new coronavirus infections in the past seven days, bringing UNH’s active caseload to 10 cases.
Other universities in the area have also seen an uptick in cases.
Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven reported 19 new cases last week, mostly among commuter students. The new infections bring the school’s cumulative total to 71 this semester.
Albertus Magnus College in New Haven reported one new case among staff members on Monday, the most recent day’s test results available. That case brings the school’s cumulative total for the semester to 23.
Elsehwere in the state, Western Connecticut State University in Danbury reported seven new cases last week, bringing the school’s cumulative total to 20 cases.
Fairfield University reported six new cases on Monday, all among students. The university reports 37 active cases, with two among staff members.
Sacred Heart University, also in Fairfield, reported 10 new cases as of Tuesday, all among students. Those cases brought the school’s active caseload to 69.
Connecticut College in New London reported nine new cases, including one employee, this week. Those cases brought the cumulative number there to 54 so far this semester, 10 of them among employees.
Trinity College in Hartford reported seven new cases last week, with an active caseload of six students and two employees or affiliates as of Monday.