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Syracuse University came within two cases of exceeding New York state’s threshold to move classes online for two weeks, a university official said Friday. 

New York state requires that any university that reports 100 positive COVID-19 tests within a fixed 14-day period must cancel in-person activities and instruction for at least two weeks. SU reported 98 positive test results during the two-week period that ended Friday, Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie said in an SU News release.

If the university had just 2 more positive tests, it would have had to move classes online.

There are currently 79 active cases among SU students and employees in central New York and 465 students in quarantine, which is the largest number of students in quarantine since the start of the fall semester.

“With just 20 days to go until the semester concludes, we need to recommit ourselves to those procedures and precautions to mitigate the potential for exposure and infection,” he said. “The current level of COVID-19 infection and spread within our community is both a real and present threat to our ability to stay on campus, and to our individual and collective health.”

Haynie warned that fewer SU student cases are resulting from superspreader events or one-off campus activities. Instead, more are stemming from exposure in the central New York community.

This announcement comes after Onondaga County executive Ryan McMahon confirmed 149 new COVID-19 cases Friday, the highest number the county has seen since the pandemic began.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also announced Friday that the New York State Department of Health will meet with central New York officials over the weekend to discuss potential restrictions to reduce the virus spread, Haynie said. 

Haynie advised students to avoid attending “unsafe” gatherings and traveling outside central New York and to other college campuses. 

He also reiterated that all students must participate in the university’s final round of COVID-19 testing beginning Nov. 11 before students leave for winter break. Students leaving before Nov. 11 must still receive a test in the Carrier Dome at least three days before their departure. 

SU will conduct testing this weekend to accommodate students who may choose to leave campus early, the SU Public Health Team announced Friday. Students can now receive testing Saturday morning, Sunday afternoon and until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Students living in university housing must take significant belongings home and pack up any loose belongings before they leave for break, and label any large belongings and wall hangings with their full name. 

After students leave, the university will conduct routine health and safety checks, and housing charges may be assessed based on room condition. 

“We have just two and a half weeks to go; if we recommit ourselves to exercising good public health practices, I am confident we can finish this semester together, on campus,” he said. 

Published on November 6, 2020 at 7:02 pm

Contact Abby: akweiss@syr.edu | @abbyweiss_21