Salem State To Go Online Ahead Of Thanksgiving Break

SALEM, MA — Most classes at Salem State University will switch to online learning ahead of Thanksgiving break as coronavirus cases rise on campus and across the country.

The school told Patch in a statement Thursday that the move will allow for students to get tested, get their results and quarantine before going home for the holiday.

The school said it is also suspending athletic practices and indoor exercise classes ahead of the break.

The campus will remain open during this time with classes online during Thanksgiving week.

The school said it is taking the steps designed to contain the spread of COVID-19 on its campus "out of an abundance of caution."

The school's most recent report on Nov. 5 said that 13 students tested positive for coronavirus out of 645 students and staff tested in the previous seven days. That is more than double the positive tests the school reported from Sept. 1 through most of October.

Salem State reported there have been 19 positive tests total out of 4,997 tests since the beginning of the school year.

The most recent positive tests were all students. Of the 19 during the semester, 17 were students and two were staff members.

"We continue to communicate with students regularly about ongoing and updated safety protocols, including sending emails about avoiding downtown Salem during Halloween and about Governor (Charlie) Baker's most recent executive orders," Salem State spokesperson Nicole Giambusso said in the statement provided to Patch. "We also continue to provide regular symptomatic and asymptomatic testing to on-campus students and to faculty and staff who interface regularly with students."

The school is encouraging students to get tested on campus so they can be aware if they are asymptomatic carriers of the virus before they travel and return home to their families for the holiday in two weeks.

"We have recently increased our testing sites to be able to test students three days of the week, and we are looking at expanding testing even further," the statement said. "Ongoing physical distancing, required face coverings, COVID-19 testing and other safety measures will be crucial to our continued focus on keeping our campus as safe and healthy as possible."