April 30, 2021 – Threshold Action Level Update

Dear Whitman community,

Having already written you once today, I’m going to keep this update brief. For the second week in a row, we have confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our community. This week two students tested positive, one through our surveillance testing and the second following exposure that occurred outside the Whitman community. Both students are in isolation and follow-up with close contacts is underway. As a reminder, testing results are compiled on a weekly basis; these cases and all of this week’s data will be published Monday in the COVID-19 Dashboard.

We will remain at Threshold Action Level 1: Low with a note of caution. The pandemic is not over and COVID-19 is not just something happening in some other place to some other people. It is here at Whitman and in Walla Walla. Confirmed cases in Walla Walla are rising significantly, more than quadrupling over the past month.

Tomorrow is May 1, and these coming final weeks of the semester will be very busy and full of important events (finals, commencement, students traveling home). We want them to go as smoothly as possible for everyone. Therefore, although some changes in COVID guidance for the summer were announced this morning, it’s important to remember that  we are not yet easing any of our campus restrictions on masking, gatherings, surveillance testing or travel. We must remain vigilant and not engage in behaviors that could potentially spread the virus and necessitate a last-minute lockdown.

So be safe. Get vaccinated. Keep your gatherings small and outdoors. Wear your face mask. Make sure you take your assigned surveillance tests. Let’s get through the end of the semester knowing that we did everything we could to keep the Whitman community healthy and safe.

Best,

Peter Harvey
Coronavirus Task Force Chair