D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Friday that people traveling to the District from coronavirus hot spots must quarantine for 14 days, a move that affects many college students.
The rule will not apply to people traveling for essential business.
The list of at-risk areas will be posted to coronavirus.dc.gov on Monday, when the order goes into effect, Bowser said, although it will exclude Maryland and Virginia. The District reported 78 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
In an email to The Eagle, AU spokesperson Lisa Stark said the University is working on its response to Bowser’s announcement.
“American University is reviewing Mayor Bowser’s July 24 order requiring travelers, including college students, from coronavirus high-risk areas to self-quarantine for 14 days,” Stark wrote. “We will be determining the appropriate next steps and working with our community in the coming days.”
According to the presentation, high-risk areas are “locations where the seven-day moving average of daily new COVID-19 cases is 10 or more per 100,000 people.” As part of the same announcement, Bowser said that local colleges and universities are being contacted over testing, contract tracing, student behavior, isolation and quarantine in regards to the coronavirus.
D.C. officials are raising alarms about the virus’ impact on young people. Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, D.C. health director, said that two-thirds of confirmed cases in the District since July 1 have been people under 40, Fox 5 D.C. reported.
Stricter travel restrictions are still possible at a later date, Bowser said.
In June, the University announced AU Forward, its plan for the fall semester. The plan calls for significantly limited on-campus housing, hybrid online and in-person classes and an earlier end to students’ presence on campus, The Eagle previously reported.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
