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Coronavirus Updates: Columbia University Bans Students From Campus After Trip To Turks and Caicos
By
Sydney Pereira
Published Nov 22, 2020
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By
Sydney Pereira
Published Nov 22, 2020
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This is our daily update of breaking COVID-19 news for Sunday, November 22nd, 2020. Previous daily updates can be found here, and up-to-date statistics are here.
New York City is in Phase 4 of reopening now, which includes zoos, botanical gardens, museums, and gyms, as well as 25% indoor dining. Certain parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island under a zoned shutdown. Get answers to questions youmay have with our "Ask An Epidemiologist" series, or learn more about NYC COVID-19 testing options with our explainer. Here are some local and state hotlines for more information: NYC: 311; NY State Hotline: 888-364-3065; NJ State Hotline: 800-222-1222.
Here's the latest:
- Demand Grows For Learning Bridges Childcare Program As City's Public Schools Stay Closed
- Amid Surge In COVID-19 Cases, Brooklyn BP Eric Adams Holds Mayoral Fundraiser Inside UWS Restaurant
Columbia University has banned 70 business students from campus after a group trip to Turks and Caicos during the COVID-19 pandemic, CNN reports.
Columbia University spokesperson Christopher Cashman said the trip violated the school's policy restricting organized group travel.
The MBA students will attend class virtually for the rest of November, and will not be permitted on campus in NYC until December 1st.
“All of this is being done to protect the broader health of our community and, thankfully, to date our positive case rate remains low,” Cashman told CBS.
It wasn't immediately clear when the trip was taken, but it was a recreational trip organized by students, according to the university.
“An important part of Columbia's public health protocols is that there are consequences for community members who violate the University’s Health Compact," Columbia spokesperson Caroline Adelman said in a statement.
NYC has faced consistently rising coronavirus cases and could soon face increased COVID-19 restrictions, to be determined by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, officials have strongly discouraged any travel and family gatherings in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.
"We are in no way immune to the problems we are seeing elsewhere and we are entering a very dangerous period with the cold weather and holidays approaching," Cuomo said on Saturday.
According to the most recent statewide data, New York State's positive test rate is 2.91%, a slight uptick from Friday's rolling seven day average of 2.87%, and increasingly close to the 3% threshold that Cuomo has said would trigger further restrictions after ten days above 3%.
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