Freshmen students moving into residence halls in fall 2020
Photo Courtesy of Faith Pingie
BY: MORGAN KILGER, NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
After swirling a cotton swab five times inside both of her nostrils, Faith Pingie, a senior education major at St. Bonaventure University, stared down at the small, white, rectangular piece of plastic on her counter. The at-home COVID-19 test read positive. Over the following couple days, all three of Pingie’s roommates in their off-campus apartment developed COVID-like symptoms.
“The last time I was a senior, the world shut down,” said Pingie, “Now I am a senior again, and I hope that does not happen.”
COVID-19 cases have risen throughout campus. Bonaventure provost and vice president for academic affairs, David Hilmey, sent a mass email to many faculty from the school of Arts and Sciences describing COVID protocols to take to limit the spread.
The COVID policy has not changed from last year — a positive test requires a self-directed five day quarantine and the infected person should not attend classes for five days. After this, the person can return to classes but should wear a mask for the next five days unless they are able to test negative twice, with the tests being 24-hours apart.
St. Bonaventure and Cattaraugus County looked closely at daily statistics and COVID guidelines. Del Rey Honeycutt, Bonaventure’s associate dean for Student and Community Wellbeing, has been keeping a close eye on the guidelines.
“I stay apprised of the latest updates on COVID through a daily list on the American College Health Association Higher Education COVID-19 Community of Practice,” said Honeycutt. “We are following for any CDC or NYS updates as well.”
Dr. Kevin Watkins, Cattaraugus County’s director of Public Health, said he doesn’t fear another shutdown resembling that of 2020. However, Watkins acknowledged there has been a spike in cases in the county and on Bonaventure’s campus.
In a mass email, David Hilmey, Bonaventure’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, outlined the university’s COVID-related guidelines.
Currently, Bonaventure’s policies regarding COVID align with the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines. Generally, those who test positive should self-isolate for five days then wear a mask for five days. Under the university’s guidelines, students should not be penalized for missing class due to COVID.
The Cattaraugus County health department keeps track daily on the amount of reported cases in the area using three different methods: basic reports, waste-water testing and hospitalizations. On Monday, 47 people tested positive for COVID within the county, and four people were hospitalized due to COVID.
Bonaventure and Cattaraugus County officials advise those not feeling well to stay home and wear a mask in public.
Many students, including Pingie, called the idea of COVID spreading throughout campus nerve-wracking.
“I do get nervous especially because I know people do not take COVID as seriously anymore,” said Pingie. “But I wish people would remember that not everyone wants to get sick, so it’s best to just do your part and follow the protocols so we can say ‘We did what we could.’”
kilgermi22@bonaventure.edu
