COVID-19 case count rises at Pfeiffer

Published 11:37 am Thursday, September 24, 2020

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Pfeiffer University’s fall 2020 semester, like other colleges across the country, has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Wednesday, the school was up to 11 total and 9 active cases. Eight of those cases are directly related to each other, while the ninth case was likely contracted off-campus, according to Casey Habich, director of marketing and communications for Pfeiffer.

The number of quarantined students and campus community members, he added, is at 89 which includes persons quarantined on and off the campus.

As per the protocols in place, individuals are having meals delivered and sat down outside the dorms by members of the student development staff, Habich said.

Four residence halls have been impacted by the quarantine, he added, but only a single floor of one of the halls is completely under quarantine. One apartment-style room has been impacted by quarantine, he said.

The school’s maintenance staff has protocols in place to pick up trash set outside by students, with staff wearing personal protective equipment. Resident advisors (RA) are collecting trash for the halls, who then set them outside for maintenance to take to the compactor.

Staff members are not entering residence halls, Habich said, adding food is being delivered to RAs using a contactless delivery system where food is left on a porch or a specific area.

Students receiving care packages and other mail deliveries through rented post office boxes are also being delivered in a similar way to meals, he added.

Habich said the school has been following state guidelines regarding group gatherings being reduced to set capacity limits, adding there have not been any large gatherings.

“A majority of student life events and things like that have moved to a virtual environment,” Habich said.

Staff will meet again on Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. to reexamine the situation.

About Charles Curcio

Charles Curcio has served as the sports editor of the Stanly News & Press for more than 16 years and has written numerous news and feature storeis as well. He was awarded the NCHSAA Tim Stevens Media Representative of the Year and named CNHI Sports Editor of the Year in 2014. He has also won an award from Boone Newspapers, and has won four North Carolina Press Association awards.

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