Rising COVID Cases Put CMU’s In-Person Experiences at Risk

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon University Community:

We write to you today with concern about a significant increase in positive cases of COVID-19 among CMU students. The CMU community had relatively few cases during the semester, and while the number of cases across the country are generally trending down, there has been a sharp uptick in the number of cases on our campus over the past two weeks. During the month of April we had 106 CMU community cases, our highest monthly total since the start of the pandemic, with the vast majority among students.

Through contact tracing, we know that most of these cases are occurring with groups of friends or roommates. Many are student cases caused by failing to adhere to mitigation protocols while dining and socializing.

Each of us can curb the spread of this virus by vigilantly practicing mitigation behaviors at all times. We acknowledge that most of the campus community, including the majority of our students, has been faithfully practicing our safety protocols. The actions we take to stop the spread are critical to us being able to enjoy more communal experiences. Failure to follow protocols puts our entire community at risk, jeopardizing students as they prepare for finals and impacting our thinking about hosting in-person events on campus, including Commencement in just three weeks.

Please, continue to wear facial coverings; wash hands frequently; maintain physical distance from others; complete your daily self-assessment; and if you’re going to be on campus, remember to participate in Tartan Testing. It is essential to practice these precautions even after you are vaccinated.

We know that pandemic fatigue is just as real as Zoom fatigue. However, while we are starting to see light at the end of the long pandemic tunnel, these next weeks are critical for our community, so please do your part in helping to stop the spread.

Sincerely,

Gina Casalegno
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Daryl Weinert
Chief of Staff, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives
CMU COVID-19 Coordinator