UVA tells students where they can and cannot go due to COVID-19

The University of Virginia imposed restrictions on students for nearly two weeks in February, limiting what they could and could not do, in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.

According to an email sent by university administrators on February 16, on-campus students were only allowed to leave their dorm for essential activities, such as going to a job, attending class, getting food, and performing outdoor exercise until at least February 26, at which time the university would “consider lifting them...if conditions around the virus permit.” 

But for the 10 days from February 16-26, students who live off-campus were “encouraged to remain at home and limit contact with individuals outside of their living arrangement.”

While students were able to go to their on or off-campus job, the email stated that “volunteer activities” should be avoided.

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The announcement stated that “all in-person events and gatherings, on and off grounds” that are not affiliated with classroom learning “are prohibited and should be moved online.”

The administrators who signed the email said that the restrictions were a result of a “troubling rise in COVID-19 cases within our student community, as well as the arrival of a new, more contagious variant.”

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According to the Cavalier Daily, the university confirmed that the U.K. variant of the coronavirus was detected within the UVA community.

“We know you are tired of fighting the pandemic, and we share your COVID-fatigue.  We know these restrictions will be difficult.  We assure you that we are taking these steps solely out of concern for protecting the health and safety of our community.  This is crunch time,” the email concluded.