Holy Cross cancels in-person gathering amid case spike

PHOTO/GRANT WELKER The College of the Holy Cross campus in Worcester

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College of the Holy Cross in Worcester is temporarily canceling in-person activities until at least Wednesday amid what the school said is the worst coronavirus case spike the campus has seen all semester.

The temporary shut-down of in-person activities began at 6 p.m. on Friday, according to an announcement attributed to the school’s COVID-19 response team.

The school will reevaluate its shutdown on Wednesday, but in the meantime, all students are required to undergo testing, unless they are recently recovered from the virus.

“Contact tracing tells us that the vast majority of spread of these cases is coming from outdoor gatherings, with a smaller amount from Easter Break travel,” the school wrote it in its notice. “To be clear, any student gatherings — inside or out, on-campus or off — will lead to serious consequences. We cannot allow the actions of a few to ruin things for the many.”

While the school tests its students, no classes will be held in-person, students are prohibited from gathering with anyone who isn’t a roommate, athletic games and practices will be closed and study and social areas will be shut down. Dining options will be grab-and-go only.

“We cannot emphasize this enough: these last few weeks are going to be crucial to the success of the entire semester,” the school’s virus response leaders said. “We hope that, with this pause, we can limit the spread of the virus.”