Campus COVID-19 status

Message sent on August 31, 2020

Dean Julie L. Ramsey, Ed.D., Vice President for College Life and Dean of Students, informs the campus community about the current status of COVID-19 cases on campus.

Dear campus community:

I’m writing today to update you on our campus’s current COVID-19 status. As described in our return to campus plans, this weekly update will be made available via email and on the website every Monday and will outline our current status determined by our alert level, and any changes that are being made to campus operations given this information. If there is a sudden increase in cases that occurs between these updates, an emergency notification will be sent by the Department of Public Safety.

Current status

Current status as of 9AM, Sunday, August 30, 2020

Category Value
Total number of students tested since 8/23/2020 2,107
Number of students whose tests are negative since 8/23/2020 2,074
Number of students whose tests were positive since 8/23/2020 33 *
Current alert level Moderate
Adams County information PA Department of Health, WellSpan Hospital

* One student that tested positive previously tested positive but had recovered from COVID-19; the very sensitive tests the College is using detected leftover viral fragments that are not infectious. The student is safe, well, and poses no danger of transmitting the virus.

The students who have tested positive are in isolation and contact tracing process has been completed.

Additional precautions

Given the information above, the alert level has not changed but additional restrictions have been put into place until further notice.

  • Students may continue to spend time with assigned roommates, suitemates, and apartment-mates.
  • Students living on campus and off campus are not permitted to have any guests, including other Gettysburg College students and non-students, in their assigned residence hall space or off-campus house.
  • All events, including College-sponsored events, are canceled.

Reminders

  • The College will conduct surveillance testing beginning today, Monday, August 31 through Wednesday, September 2. Additionally, we will test the full membership of any groups or residences that have been identified as being engaged in any form, size, and nature of social gatherings linked to our positive cases, with the exception of those who are in isolation or at home. Students will be contacted by the Residence Life office about their testing time. It will not interfere with class schedules.
  • While we await those test results, we have quarantined specific residences where we have observed a trend of positive results. Those students will learn remotely and should be in touch with their faculty members if the class is offered in person.
  • Please remember that every student and employee are required to wear a mask or face covering on campus.

For questions

If you have questions regarding this information, please email fallreturn@gettysburg.edu. Additionally, the phone bank will be open from 10AM to 3 PM today, Monday, August 31. Please call 717.337.8800 if you have any questions regarding the information. Please do not call the Health Center with questions about this information.

Thank you for your work to keep our campus safe. Please remember to visit the Better Together website for additional information.

Dean Julie L. Ramsey, Ed.D.
Vice President for College Life and Dean of Students