Colleges counter virus spikes
Student gatherings driving response
Coronavirus outbreaks have emerged at multiple Massachusetts colleges in the last week, causing one of the campuses to switch to remote only.
Meanwhile, police in another college town over the weekend broke up a party of more than 50 people, resulting in students getting disciplined for violating coronavirus gathering rules.
Merrimack College has made a shift to remote learning this week after 64 students from the same dorm tested positive for the virus, followed by another 12 isolated cases at the North Andover campus.
“The decision has been made for the campus to shift temporarily to remote learning for the next five days from Monday, September 28, 2020 through Friday October 2, 2020, to protect our community and restore our sense of safety,” school officials wrote in a letter to the campus community.
More than 250 students who live in Monican Hall are in isolation or quarantine after the 64 positive cases from that dorm.
“What the Monican cluster has taught us is that COVID-19 is very complex and the impact can be swift and large,” officials wrote.
Meanwhile, Umass Amherst is reporting that 13 students tested positive for the virus in the last week.
“All the students are known to have socialized together, and a number of them attended a party together,” Brandi Hephner Labanc, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life, wrote to students.
With a look toward the spring and the university’s goal of repopulating the campus with in-person operations, Labanc stressed that students should avoid parties and gatherings, wear masks and get tested.
“This cluster of positive test results reminds us that, despite the low numbers we have seen on campus and in the community in recent weeks, we cannot allow ourselves to be comforted into complacency,” Labanc wrote. “The decisions we make now — the choice to skip the party, to wear a mask — will allow us to come together sooner in the future.”
At Salem State University, students who attended an apartment party of more than 50 people will be cited by public health officials for violating coronavirus gathering rules, according to the university president and Salem mayor. Students who attended an unrelated gathering in violation of public health guidelines will also be disciplined.