Alabama announces campus restrictions after reported ‘significant increase’ in COVID cases
By SDS Staff
Published:
The University of Alabama has announced new campus guidelines after an increase in COVID-19 cases. The measures announced Friday are headlined by a 14-day moratorium on all in-person events outside of classroom instruction. Crimson Tide beat reporter Cecil Hurt confirmed from an athletic department spokesperson that the moratorium does not apply to football practices.
The guidelines also addressed Greek life, closing all common areas and limiting use of Greek houses to residents, advisors and staff with no gatherings allowed in Greek houses on-campus or off-campus.
An AL.com report offered insight into the campus COVID situation in Tuscaloosa. UA’s vice president for Student Life Myron Pope said “we have seen a significant increase in the number of students who tested positive” in the past week.
UA has set aside 450 dorm beds to isolate those who have tested positive. Pope warned those beds could be full in under two weeks without precautionary measures.
“We are not at capacity right now but if we increase at the rate we did this week, give us a week and a half we’ll be at full capacity,” Pope told UA student leaders, per audio obtained by AL.com.
Bell shared numbers on an increase in positive tests.
“Just in the last few days as we’ve tested at Coleman Coliseum and the Student Health Center, we’ve seen the numbers jump up from 1 percent to 4 percent to 5 percent,” Pope said in the meeting. “And in one particular case, I think it was Coleman Coliseum (Thursday), actually it might be the Student Health Center, we saw 29 percent of the students who tested were positive.”
Alabama began on-campus classes on Wednesday.
Revised UA guidelines for campus residents. pic.twitter.com/1NrLtzsMM4
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) August 21, 2020
To answer a frequently asked question:
The University of Alabama 14-day moratorium on student events does not apply to athletic practices, per a UA spokesperson.
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) August 21, 2020
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
