The
Cornell University Ithaca
New York campus is shutting down due to the
rapid spread of Covid 19 among students.
In response to an increase in COVID-19 cases and evidence of the Omicron
variant, Cornell is moving to Alert Level Red and announcing a number of
immediate measures, including final exams moving online as of noon, Dec.
14.https://t.co/Scj0FZBEuA— Cornell University (@Cornell)
December 14, 2021
During December 14 Cornell Tech Roosevelt Island Community Task Force meeting I
asked if there was any:
… impact of Covid outbreak at Ithaca campus on Cornell Tech Roosevelt Island
campus.
Cornell Tech Chief Administrative Officer
Juliet Weissman
replied yesterday:
As of this morning, the Ithaca campus has moved to a red alert level due to
a rise in cases in their community. These are cases again, they have a very
robust surveillance testing program. For those who don’t know, we are
actually using their infrastructure. So we test students on our campus and
send the samples to the lab in Ithaca to be processed. So yes, Ithaca is
unfortunately seeing a significant increase in cases and they also moved
their final exams online.We have had zero cases for the past two weeks running through our
surveillance testing which we feel very fortunate about. We don’t want to
count our blessings through because we know what is happening in the city
and in the state. From a precaution perspective we are also fortunately so
close to the end of the semester that many of our students have actually
already left campus. This is just judging from who we see testing this week,
and I think what we have done is there is one final exam left that was going
to be done in person and will likely be moved online just as a precaution.
Not because we are seeing the cases at all like in Ithaca in solidarity with
our Ithaca brothers and sisters, just trying to be as thoughtful and
precautionary as we can.We have been ahead of city and the state in terms of mask use and really
discouraging in-person events that involve food. That has been another big
source of discussion, so with end of year winter gatherings and so forth we
have been very careful. We took a lot of precautions with our open studio
event last week to make sure that folks were vaccinated and lots of people
were tested before that event.”
More Cornell Tech Covid info here.
Latest on NYC and Roosevelt Island Covid spread.
Omicron is here in NYC and spreading quickly. We’re seeing a surge of
#COVID19
cases ahead of the holidays – the 7-day average for new cases has tripled in
the last month. All boroughs remain in high transmission. 🧵— Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, MD (@NYCHealthCommr)
December 16, 2021
The city will distribute 500,000 at-home rapid tests and 1.5 million KN-95
medical grade face masks through community organizations across the five
boroughs, beginning on Monday, as part of its push to combat the virus.
https://t.co/mOD2VGSQkD— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1)
December 16, 2021
Join us now for a
#COVID19
briefing. https://t.co/rgLu8p8DKz— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor)
December 16, 2021
According to NYC Health Department, the
7 Day Covid Testing Data
from December 6 – 12, when the
Covid Mobile Test Van was here
on Roosevelt Island (Zip Code 10044 ), 973 people were tested resulting in 30
Positive Cases for a rate of 3.08%.
The
7 Day Covid Testing Data
from December 7 – 13 for Roosevelt Island (Zip Code 10044 ) – 813 people were
tested and 33 Positive Case for a rate of 4.06%.
Don’t take a chance.
Get the vaccine. Get your booster. Wear a mask.
pic.twitter.com/GIicBRR0MU— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul)
December 16, 2021