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None of Syracuse University’s COVID-19 positive cases can be definitively linked to a specific classroom exposure, said Mike Haynie, the vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, in a campus-wide email on Friday.

Haynie said in the email that contact tracing data shows non-academic activities and communal living situations have been found to be the primary drivers of transmission.

SU is also conducting random surveillance tests for vaccinated people. The positivity rate of the random tests has remained consistent throughout almost three weeks of surveillance testing, Haynie said, with rates of 1.1%, 1.3% and 1% for the first, second and third weeks, respectively.

The consistency of the rates of the random tests is a good indicator of where SU’s public health situation stands, Haynie said in the email.

SU has conducted over 15,500 surveillance tests and is working to conduct more than 10,000 tests per week, Haynie said. Of the positive tests, 93% are among vaccinated students, many of whom are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

Haynie also said that SU informs all classmates when someone who tested positive attended class during the infectious period — two days before symptoms start or two days before testing positive — even if the classmates have not had close contact with the person who tests positive. This is out of an abundance of caution, Haynie said.

Students may also be notified if they were in close contact outside of a class setting with a person who tested positive.

Faculty members may not be contacted regarding a potential exposure in their class if the student was not present during the infectious period, Haynie said. 

Haynie advised vaccinated close contacts to wear a mask and get tested as soon as possible. Here is SU’s testing schedule and locations:

• Monday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium)
• Tuesday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium)
• Wednesday: noon-7 p.m. (Stadium)
• Thursday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium)
• Friday: 8:30-10:30 a.m. (Stadium)
• Saturday: Closed
• Sunday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Kimmel Dining Hall)

Published on September 17, 2021 at 4:19 pm

Contact Richard: rcperrin@syr.edu | @richardperrins2