Day Hall eighth floor residents released from quarantine

Day Hall eighth floor placed on quarantine

After three positive COVID-19 cases were confirmed, the entire floor was tested and no additional cases were discovered.
Published: September 16, 2020
Day Hall

Residents of Day Hall’s eighth floor have been released from temporary quarantine. After three positive cases were confirmed, the entire floor was re-tested and quarantined. However, after the round of rapid tests, no new cases were discovered.

On Monday, Syracuse University confirmed that three students from the eighth floor of Day Hall, a freshman residence hall, have tested positive for COVID-19. Eighth floor residents were notified that they would be required to get tested and quarantine immediately.

Residents were instructed to go to the testing center located on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quad no later than 4 p.m. for another round of testing. After testing, students are required to quarantine until they receive their test results. The university expects the turn around to be between 24 and 48 hours.

“We are working quickly to implement all facets of our response protocol to ensure any trace of COVID-19 is quickly detected and contained to limit potential spread,” Vice Chancellor Michael Haynie said in a campus-wide email.

Haynie confirmed that contact tracing is already underway to identify any additional positive cases or direct exposures.  The university is also contacting any staff members who may have had exposures to students who have tested positive.

Day Hall is the first residence hall to be placed on quarantine as a result of positive COVID-19 cases. Although Sadler and Ernie Davis residents were place on quarantine as a result of COVID-19 traces in the wastewater, no positive cases were discovered.

All residents of the eighth floor have been contacted by the staff from the Barnes Center at the Arch, who offer support for the transition to quarantine.  The university will be providing food for the affected students. Residence received a meal of chicken tenders the day they were notified. If the quarantine is extended students can reach out to the Barnes Center for assistance with food services.

This floor-wide quarantine comes after a major spike in COVID-19 cases over the previous week. As of Friday’s update to the Syracuse University COVID-19 dashboard, there were 30 active cases, and 109 students in quarantine.

Uptick continues in active COVID-19 cases, quarantined SU students
September 18, 2020 7:00 pm

SU’s active COVID-19 cases and quarantined student totals increased again Friday as campus-wide COVID-19 test results return.

SU saw an increase of nine student cases living in Central New York, bringing the total current active student, staff, and faculty cases at 30. As of Friday’s reporting, 18 additional students were asked to quarantine, pushing that total population to 109.

As the number of quarantined students and active cases at SU continue to rise, Vice Chancellor Michael Haynie sent out a schoolwide email on Thursday reminding students of COVID-19 guidelines including not traveling outside Central New York or have visitors from outside the region. Earlier this week, Haynie attributed the recent surge in cases to students visiting other college campuses and bringing back the virus.

“We are fully aware that this semester has been anything but normal. We’ve asked a lot of you.” Haynie stated in the email. “We need and expect your continued cooperation and compliance. Our ability to keep you on campus depends on your commitment to health and safety. Keep up the good work. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Do your part.”

Also Friday, SU men’s soccer team canceled a Saturday exhibition game against Virginia because a positive COVID-19 case turned up in the program. SU field hockey’s home openers against Duke were nixed because of possible exposures.

Students complete the second round of COVID testing on the Quad on Monday September 8th.
A SU student takes the saliva swab test for coronavirus recently on the Quad.
Cases increase as sorority house placed on quarantine
September 16, 2020 6:00 pm

Syracuse University’s active COVID-19 cases and quarantined student totals continued trending upward Wednesday, marking the highest tallies since fall classes started.

As results come in from a campuswide coronavirus testing effort for all students, 13 new active COVID-19 cases were registered bringing the active case total to 23 cases in Central New York and three more outside of the area.

As of Wednesday’s reporting, 91 students have quarantined — a jump of 23 students or 33% since Monday. Quarantine totals also rose significantly over the weekend at the same time that two members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority chapter tested positive.

Residents living in the sorority house were asked to quarantine, and SU spokeswoman Sarah Scalese said two members who tested positive were in isolation while contact tracing was underway.

SU Vice Chancellor Michael Haynie attributed the “troubling trend” to a few students who visited other college campuses over Labor Day weekend and brought the virus back to Syracuse after being exposed.

“This is a disappointing outcome and should drive home the fragility of our campus bubble, and the risks associated with risky travel away from CNY,” Haynie said in an update Wednesday to the SU community

Exterior view of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority house at 743 Comstock Ave.
Residents of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority house were asked to quarantine after two members tested positive.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 are put in isolation housing by SU and required to participate in contact tracing. Students in isolation are separated from all other residential student dorms “until a student has recovered from the COVID-19 virus and has tested negative,” as stated in the school’s COVID-19 response checklist.

SU is in the midst of testing all students, and Hayne said that 15,000 tests have been performed since last week reaching more than 80 percent of the student body. Testing continues through Friday at stations set up on the Quad and Skybarn on South Campus.

Haynie said  SU will continue to inform the campus community and update the COVID-19 dashboard three times per week. Also, the State of New York is planning on releasing a dashboard to include school-by-school data reported by different campuses across the state. A SUNY campus dashboard is already available.

Two weeks ago, a wastewater detection system picked up traces of coronavirus in Ernie Davis Hall, however, testing found no positive cases among the dorm’s residents after a one-day quarantine.

In an email to students on Tuesday, Dean of Students Robert Hradsky said SU is following New York state orders and that students who violate safety rules could face consequences.

“We want you here. You want to be here. Your families want you to be here.” Hradsky closed his email with. “Together, we can continue this semester on campus. It requires all of us to be accountable to each other. Keep wearing your mask. Keep your distance. Stay safe. Do your part.”