UPDATED: PC Announces New Coronavirus Restrictions As Cases Increase
Friday, February 12, 2021
Providence College on Thursday announced a series of new temporary restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the college community.
According to the PC COVID dashboard, 172 students are in quarantine and 92 students have tested positive in the past three days.
"Yes, we are under 2% positive - and we want to stay that way. We have seen an increase in cases last week and again this week. (66 cases last week and 92 just through Wednesday of this week). Now, we are testing more people, too, which is why the positivity rate is low," said Steve Maurano, Vice President of the College.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"But we want to get our arms around this and stop the increase in cases or at last have them level off so we don’t tax the resources we have to deal with them (isolation and quarantine space, contact tracing, etc.) And, we want to do whatever we can to assure that we can keep teaching classes on campus without having to go to full remote learning," said Maurano.
The College announced the following restrictions:
· Students, both on-campus and off-campus residents, are required to limit their movement to essential purposes including travel to in-person classes, travel to pick up grab-and-go meals or groceries, travel to work
· Spectators will not be allowed at athletics contests
· All field work, e.g., student teaching, practicums, and other placements are suspended
· On-campus resident students are restricted from visiting off-campus student residences
· In-person classes will continue
PC Letter Community
Dear members of the Providence College community:
Providence College President Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. has announced a series of temporary restrictions that apply to students who are currently in residence either on campus or off campus. These measures will take effect immediately and, knowing how difficult last spring was, they are meant to keep us on track toward our goal of continuing with an in-person, on-campus student experience for the entire Spring Semester.
We are experiencing more positive COVID-19 cases than we would like. While increased testing is a factor, these additional steps are necessary to ensure that the overall positivity rate stays below the approximately 2% we are currently seeing.
In-person classes will continue. Because of physical distancing structures and other safeguards, classes do not represent significant risk. Academic buildings, Phillips Memorial Library, St. Dominic Chapel, and Concannon Fitness Center will continue to be accessible, because acceptable mitigation protocols are in place for those facilities.
RESTRICTED MOVEMENT
Students, both on-campus and off-campus residents, are required to limit their movement to essential purposes:
Travel to in-person classes
Travel to pick up grab-and-go meals (on-campus students and off-campus students who have meal plans) or groceries
Travel to medical appointments, to pick up medicine, or to pick up other essential supplies
Travel to work
Travel to accessible on-campus facilities, including academic buildings and the Asymptomatic Testing Center
Outdoor recreation, either alone or in pods
In addition, please note:
Visitors are not allowed in residence halls
On-campus resident students are restricted from visiting off-campus student residences
At this time, students (on-campus and off-campus) are discouraged from leaving to go home or elsewhere for more than two nights, for their own safety and for the safety of those with whom they would come into contact
CHANGES, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
On-campus dining will be grab-and-go only, at both Raymond and Alumni (as of 3 p.m. today)
All field work, e.g., student teaching, practicums, and other College-sponsored field placements, is suspended
Public Safety officers will be making regular rounds in residence halls
Cleaning will be increased in residence halls, using specialized equipment, particularly in communal restrooms and other common areas
Public Safety officers will staff the campus entry gate on Eaton Street (8 p.m. – 2 a.m. Thursday – Sunday) to limit students from leaving campus
Providence Police Department patrols in off-campus neighborhoods will increase from two days per week to four
Spectators will not be allowed at athletics contests
WHAT WILL CONTINUE
In-person classes
Access to academic buildings and common areas for study and remote classes
Access to Phillips Memorial Library
Access to St. Dominic Chapel
Access to Peterson Field House for students required to participate in twice-weekly asymptomatic testing
Access to Concannon Fitness Center
It is anticipated that these temporary measures, in conjunction with robust testing/contact tracing, masks, physical distancing, and other cautionary steps, will help in reversing the trends of the past several days and prevent the need to implement stricter measures. Please do your part to keep our community safe and create the conditions that will allow the resumption of normal activities.
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