Champagnat Hall’s Quarantine Lifted Following Virus Scare

Residents of the college’s largest freshman dorm, Champagnat Hall, were instructed to immediately return to their rooms for a precautionary and temporary quarantine in an email sent to all students on Wednesday evening. At 10:20 a.m. the next morning, the college lifted the quarantine after students in question tested negative for the virus.

Marist College was notified that several Marist students, including residents of Champagnat Hall, came into contact with an off-campus student who had tested positive for COVID-19 at an off-campus party. The email emphasized that “the student who tested positive has not come on campus or attended class in-person at any point.” The quarantine required students to attend Thursday classes virtually and utilize Grubhub to order meals to their rooms. 

The college’s contact tracing team identified students who may have been in contact with the positive-tested student.

“All students who attended the party were tested this evening, sent home to quarantine, and are suspended pending a judicial hearing. Until their results are received, a temporary quarantine will be implemented in Champagnat Hall,” Executive Vice President Geoff Brackett wrote in Wednesday’s email.

Thursday morning, an email sent by Deborah Dicaprio, the vice president of Student Affairs, announced the lift on the temporary quarantine in Champagnat Hall. The Champagnat Hall students in question tested negative for the virus, but they are still prohibited from coming to campus and subjected to a 14-day mandatory quarantine. Tests from other students who attended the party are still pending, Dicaprio said. She also noted an upcoming surveillance testing program, in addition to the partnership with MidHudson Regional Hospital, to enhance the college’s testing efforts.

“While our local health officials recognized the College for its ‘swift and impressive response’ to this incident, it should serve as a reminder to all members of the Marist community that we must uphold our shared responsibility to protect our community by wearing masks, washing hands, and maintaining social distance,” Dicaprio said. “Attending parties or large gatherings is prohibited. Individuals who do not follow these guidelines will face disciplinary action.”

Source: Sarah Lynch