Emma Innes
Staff writer
The Willamette Reopening Operations Committee (ROC) sent out an email on Nov. 20 at 2:53 p.m. notifying of the sixteenth known case of COVID-19 at WU this semester. The person, described as not regularly working on campus, tested positive on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and was last on campus Friday, Nov. 6. ROC reported the individual was present in the Shepard House but was not in [close contact] as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This comes as cases in Oregon and the United States are on the rise.
The ROC reminded that new rules from the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) require them to identify what buildings individuals who test positive were in, but clarified these new rules will not change the existing testing policy.
ROC also reminded that they must maintain confidentiality for those who test positive, which limits the information they can provide to the community. ROC asked the Willamette community to continue adhering to social distancing practices and wearing masks.
Faculty and staff who test positive are still being asked to contact Danita Chapin <dkchapin> in Human Resources, and students who test positive are to contact Tori Ruiz <truiz> in Student Affairs. Willamette reported its [fifteenth case on Nov. 17].