91̽»¨

The following message was shared with the 91̽»¨ community on Oct. 20, 2020.

Dear University community members:

If you are watching the trends, you know that daily COVID case rates are increasing , and in . This is reflected in county level increases in most counties where 91̽»¨ has a presence. The only campus county remaining in yellow is Belmont county, where our Eastern campus is located, but they too are seeing an increase in the number of cases. Athens and Fairfield remain in orange; all other 91̽»¨ counties are in red. How is this reflected in campus numbers? The numbers remain low at regional campuses but more cases are trickling in. In Athens, we are starting to see a slower pace of student cases but some evidence of community spread. As you know, we’ve had several outbreaks in University housing. While some residence halls remain at concerning levels, we are fortunately seeing those numbers slow as well.

What is happening in housing? 

In the last two weeks, we have seen a significant increase in cases among our students in residence halls. They now represent 25% of Athens student numbers. As reported previously, significant outbreaks in Boyd, Jefferson and Tiffin Halls led to blanket quarantine orders from the health department. We also saw concerning increases in Sargent, Sowle and Carr Halls. Students in these halls were asked to redouble their prevention efforts to reduce the risk of quarantine. I am happy to report that the infections are currently slowing down in on-campus housing. We will be increasing mandatory testing of students in residence halls to keep on top of cases and attempt to minimize outbreaks. This does not mean that we can let our guard down! We all must continue to follow public health guidance – avoid gatherings, wear a mask and stay physically distanced!

Can we talk about Halloween?

Halloween is typically a fun time in Athens. Not only do many of us enjoy various festivities, but we often have people arriving from around the state to join in. This year must be different. The City has canceled this year’s block party. This does not mean it is acceptable to host large events in private homes or to turn Court Street into an informal party. Halloween festivities have the potential to be super spreader events that could be extremely problematic for future planning. Please make good choices so more students can return in the spring. There are many safer outdoor activities you can do with a small group of friends to celebrate. I know change is hard for us all, but with a little planning, we can make fantastic memories while still keeping the campus and community safe.

What do we need to know about quarantine and isolation?

We all continue to learn and adapt as the pandemic progresses. We understand that public health rules for Quarantine and Isolation can be hard to follow. The University’s response to the pandemic continues to evolve base on guidance from public health experts at both the state and county level. Based on recent conversations with the Athens City-County Health Department, the University has determined it is necessary to update protocols for students living in quarantine or isolation housing. We initially believed it was permissible for those in isolation or quarantine to leave their rooms to get moderate exercise outdoors. Public health orders are actually more stringent and do not allow for this. We will be updating our protocols to accurately reflect the public health orders that are so important to follow.

I know COVID is wearing us all down. The restrictions are hard. We all want life to return to normal. The more we act now to reduce rates, the shorter this pandemic will be and the sooner we can all be back together again. Please, do your part to protect the campus and community at each OHIO campus. 

Dr. Gillian Ice
Special Assistant to the President for Public Health Operations