May 9, 2022 COVID-19 Outbreak Update

Dear Whitman community,

As you prepare to enter the last week of the semester — and, for our graduates, your final days at Whitman — please keep in mind that we are still seeing active COVID-19 transmission on campus and, increasingly, in the Walla Walla community. Last week we had 33 new cases of COVID-19 on campus, which was slightly lower than the previous week’s count of 39, so we are still seeing far more spread than we would like. Additionally, 20 of last week’s cases came at the end of the week, and today we already have six new cases, four of whom we know to be close contacts to others who tested positively recently.

If you have any symptoms that may be COVID-19 or you have been a close contact to someone with COVID-19, please use our campus resources to get tested. We offer close contact and symptomatic testing for all our employees and students.

STUDENTS: Symptomatic and exposure testing for students at Welty Student Health Center takes place from 9:30–11:30 a.m. and 2:30–4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the back door of the health center. No appointment is necessary. Students who develop symptoms of COVID-19 and need to be tested on a weekend may call Campus Security (509-527-5777), who will deliver an at-home test kit and instructions.
EMPLOYEES: Symptomatic testing and exposure testing for employees is offered on weekdays during regular business hours. Contact Human Resources (hr@whitman.edu) to schedule an appointment.

It remains incumbent upon us all, whether in our residence halls or off campus houses, our offices or classrooms, to continue protecting ourselves and each other from the spread of COVID-19. Remember to wear your masks in indoor spaces, open windows and doors to improve airflow when inside, take your activities outdoors whenever possible and be responsible in your social gatherings. Take all the steps you can to help our entire community get through finals and Commencement as healthily as possible.

Best,
Peter

Peter Harvey
Chair, Coronavirus Task Force