Students move into Syracuse University dorms, begin 14-day quarantine
Emma Folts l Managing Editor
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Nearly 400 first-year and incoming transfer students moved into Syracuse University residence halls Sunday to begin a mandatory two-week self-quarantine.
Students began arriving at a drive-thru check in station at Manley Field House soon after 9 a.m., where they proved they had received the negative COVID-19 test result required before arriving in New York state, Syracuse.com reported.
The students received another COVID-19 test before moving into their dorms. The university expects to have those test results in 72 hours.
First-year and incoming transfer students can pay $1,000 to quarantine in SU housing to comply with a travel order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The order requires individuals traveling to New York state from COVID-19 hotspots — including 34 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico — to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
Returning SU students from the hotspots must quarantine in New York or another non-hotspot state at their own expense.
During the 14-day on-campus quarantine period, which SU officials have likened to a “minimum-security prison,” the university will limit students’ social interactions outside of their floor.
Students quarantining in SU dorms will order meals directly to their rooms through an online order form and will not be permitted to order food through delivery services such as GrubHub. Those participating in the on-campus quarantine will also have allotted time to exercise, socialize, go outside and do laundry.
SU allowed each first-year student to bring only one guest into their dorm to assist with the move-in process. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon expressed support for SU’s handling of the move-in.
Happy to report we had 400 @SyracuseU students come to campus today to start their 14 day quarantine. All 400 students tested negative last week for Covid 19, and all of them will be retested today. Very Proud of this partnership with @SyracuseU . We can do this safely.
— Ryan McMahon (@CHM_McMahon) August 2, 2020
Students quarantining in SU dorms received an at-home COVID-19 testing kit through the mail to complete before arriving on campus Aug. 2. The $49 fee for the testing kit was included in the $1,000 on-campus quarantine fee, but students were not required to use it.
Published on August 2, 2020 at 10:39 pm
Contact Abby: akweiss@syr.edu | @abbyweiss_21