LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — The campus is quiet at Lock Haven University. And It will stay that way through the first week of the spring semester. The university recently announced that classes will begin virtually because of the ongoing pandemic.
"If we minimize the population density on campus for the first week, we are more likely to escape rampant infections on campus," said Ron Darbeau, the provost at Lock Haven University.
The semester begins on January 24. Students and faculty will return to campus the following week for in-person instruction. The university is requiring students living on campus to get tested. However, the school would like all students to get tested upon their return.
"That Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, we are encouraging the campus community to come out for testing so that we can get a sense of where the infection rate is on campus," added Darbeau.
Lock Haven University has developed its own COVID response team. As the virus continues to spread, the university has plans in place to protect its students and faculty.
"As soon as we hear of a positive, whether that is someone who has been identified during a routine surveillance testing event or a self report, we immediately reach out to that student and all of their close contacts," said Jessica Abernathy, the COVID-19 response team coordinator at the college.
Hand sanitizer and masks will be made available to those on campus. The university says its indoor mask mandate will continue through the spring semester.
"What we are asking for is for people not to use the cloth masks at least by themselves. They are welcome to have a KF-94 and a cloth mask," said Darbeau.
Officials with Lock Haven University tell Newswatch 16 that they plan on outfitting every faculty member and student with KF-94 masks when they return to campus.
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