Clarkson Parents & Family members,

Since classes started on August 19, Clarkson students have been doing a tremendous job with the health and safety protocols in place to protect their community during a global pandemic while continuing to make progress towards completing their degrees, and more importantly, towards their professional and personal career goals.  

We reported to our campus community this past Friday evening that we had three individuals, who live in close contact, test positive for COVID-19 that day.  In COVID-19 vocabulary, they were like a family unit. 

As public health experts have shared, if a person in your family unit contracts COVID-19, you are much more likely to get it from them and so measures to contain the spread begin with those in closest contact with a positive case.  

We did immediate testing that evening of other close contacts with no additional positives to report, and the results from comprehensive testing on Tuesday have also come back with no further positive cases. Seventy-eight students, however, remain in the status of isolation (3), quarantine (54) or precautionary quarantine (21)  based on St. Lawrence County and NYS Public Health contact tracing and protocols.  Our other surveillance methods like wastewater monitoring are in place and we are asking everyone to remain vigilant to our health and safety protocols.  

COVID-19 cases come from exposure to a carrier of the virus, including individuals who are asymptomatic and do not know they are carrying the virus. 

Right now, the “family unit” for your student is the people they live with while they take in person classes.  To the extent possible, it should not be commingled in the same way with their true family unit until they go home at the end of the semester. We recognize that some people want to see their students beyond Zoom as part of a good mental health check for both students and families.  If these random interactions must take place, we ask that all maintain the social distancing measures that have been working for the campus community: wear a mask, practice good hygiene and limit direct contact.  Thank you for making this hard concession that is for the benefit of all students. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to community@clarkson.edu.