YU Suspends COVID-19 Testing for Remainder of Year
Weekly COVID-19 testing will be suspended for the remainder of the academic year at Wilf and Beren Campuses. This change was announced by the COVID Team in an email sent to undergraduate students on May 11.
12 students tested positive on Wilf Campus and 14 on Beren Campus last week, according to information from YU’s COVID-19 tracker. This number includes results from both university and off-campus testing.
The regular academic year ends with commencement on May 26 and The Post Pesach Program on Wilf Campus ends on June 2.
The university raised the possibility of testing being resumed if “unforeseen events” occur.
Students who test positive through off-campus testing will still be able to isolate in the university’s isolation rooms, provided that the results are sent to YU’s COVID Team.
In the email, the university thanked students for following its testing protocols. “We are so appreciative of your participation in the weekly COVID testing,” the email read. “We know that there are differing feelings and opinions about the COVID protocols and want to genuinely thank you for helping us do what we think will best keep the campus community safe.”
“I am very happy to hear that YU has decided to get rid of testing before finals,” Baruch Nochlin (YC ‘23) told The Commentator. “Testing was stressful knowing I risked my ID getting shut down. This is one less stress to have during finals.”
COVID testing began as a bi-weekly requirement for students in October 2021, before being changed to once a week a month later. After Pesach, tests were changed from PCR to rapid-antigen.
The city’s COVID-19 alert level is currently at “medium,” indicating a “medium community spread of COVID-19,” according to the NYC Health Department. The city raised it to this level last week from “low.” The COVID-19 alert level is a measure meant to reflect current transmission rates and health care capacity.
Dean Bednarsh did not respond to The Commentator’s requests for comment.
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Photo Caption: COVID-19 testing has been suspended for the remainder of the academic year
Photo Credit: The Commentator
