Out of 1893 PCR tests administered on Monday, March 28, nineteen people have tested positive for COVID-19. There are currently 46 active student cases, with 36 being quarantined in local hotels, and two active employee cases.

There have been 290 student cases this semester, of which 244 have been marked as resolved. In response to this heightened risk of community transmission, everyone on campus will be required to test on Thursday, March 31.

Although the new BA. 2 variant is estimated to be 30% more transmissible than Omicron, the College is choosing to continue in Blue Operating Status for now. Mask requirements remain unchanged, with professors in charge of classroom mask policies.

Per CDC data, the new variant now makes up more than 70% of all new cases in the Northeast region, including the State of New York. However, there have only been minor jumps in cases and no significant increase in hospitalizations thus far.

“While BA.2 is even more transmissible than the original Omicron variant, both tend to produce mild or asymptomatic illness in individuals who are vaccinated and boosted,” said the COVID-19 Task Force.

In anticipation of increased COVID risk, with students returning from all over the country, the Testing Center handed out rapid testing kits to students in the week before Spring Break began. Students were asked to test before returning to campus to help combat the increased risk of transmission. Fifteen people who tested positive before returning are currently isolating at home.

The College’s current guidelines let students to exit quarantine early on day six or day eight, if they test negative with a rapid test. This signifies a low level of coronavirus proteins present in the respiratory system, representing a lower possibility of infection. Currently, only 30% of students are testing out on day six. Based on their test results, around 20% must isolate for a full ten days.