St Mike's goes to remote classes after positive COVID tests

Saint Michael's College Saint Michael’s President Lorraine Sterritt sent a message to the college community early Thursday regarding positive COVID-19 test results among students. Later in the day, Dawn Ellinwood, vice president for student affairs/dean of students, shared further information on additional surveillance testing this week and progress made on the contact tracing of the recent cases. Classes will be held remotely for a week, sports will be suspended through the weekend and students are asked not to leave the area.

From President Sterritt – Important COVID Update

Dear Saint Michael’s Community,

This morning, we received the results of this week’s surveillance testing, and we have six new positive cases, all asymptomatic. The Executive Policy Group has already met with the Vermont Department of Health (VDH) this morning, and contact tracing is underway now. The VDH will be in touch imminently with anyone who is deemed to be a contact.

Out of an abundance of caution, we are transitioning to all remote classes, effective immediately, and for the rest of the week in order to allow the VDH to conduct contact tracing. All in-person activities, including athletics, are also suspended through the weekend. Dining will be take-out only.

Please be assured that the College is following its established COVID-19 protocols, working very closely with the VDH, and we will continue to provide new information as we have it.

Sincerely,

Lorraine Sterritt
President

From Vice President for Student Affairs Dawn Ellinwood – COVID Information and Testing Update

Dear Saint Michael’s Community,

All students identified as positive for COVID-19 in this week’s testing have been interviewed by the Vermont Department of Health (VDH) contact tracers and are now in isolation. The VDH tracers have also completed their contact tracing and have identified approximately 50 student contacts. Students identified as contacts have been tested and placed into quarantine. Contacts will remain in quarantine until a subsequent test on day seven provides a negative result.

We have been working closely with the VDH throughout the day, and they have let us know that so far it appears that these positive cases are connected to each other. This is encouraging in that it follows similar instances of positive cases on college and university campuses, which were then quickly traced and isolated, and additional spread was contained. In addition to following all of the Health Department’s guidance through these cases, the College has decided that tomorrow we will test all students who have not undergone surveillance testing or contact testing this week.

Important Surveillance Testing Update
Students with the last names A – M will be undergoing testing tomorrow, Friday October 23. You can find a schedule of test times on our website. If you are in isolation or quarantine or have already had a test this week you will not need to appear for testing. Students will not have surveillance testing conducted next week. Thanks in advance to faculty for their flexibility with student testing during class times, allowing students to miss part of class as necessary in order to meet their testing obligation.

While we are managing these positive cases and tracing contacts, I ask that students leave campus only for necessities. If you do need to leave campus, please remain in the area and remember that it is imperative that you wear a mask and maintain physical distancing. In addition to our responsibility to keep our campus safe, we must do our part to keep our surrounding communities safe.

It is important for us to keep in mind that we prepared for this eventuality, and while this is difficult, it is not unexpected. Let’s support one another as we manage this and continue with our academic work.

Stay well.

Dawn Ellinwood
Vice President for Student Affairs

Weekly Student Screening Test Results

The dashboard is updated every weekday by noon with data from the prior day. Data represent surveillance testing, testing of contacts, and diagnostic testing. Surveillance testing is conducted on Tuesdays with results typically posted by noon on the following Thursday.