Cora Dow

In an email to the Bowdoin community on Thursday, COVID-19 Resource Coordinator, Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Director of Residential and Student Life Mike Ranen announced that one student tested positive from over 2,000 PCR tests administered Tuesday and Wednesday. Additionally, one employee tested positive on a take-home antigen test on Thursday.

The original plan for fall break was to move into Yellow status on October 11 and return to Green on October 18. However, as a result of positive cases after Homecoming weekend, the College shifted to Yellow status earlier, on October 7. At that time, there were 12 student cases. More students tested positive throughout the week before fall break.

The new positive tests from this week bring the number of active cases on campus to 21 among students and two among employees. All students are currently in isolation housing or isolating at home.

While in Yellow, dining is grab-and-go only for all meals, and face coverings must be worn at all times except when students are in their own private residence, among other rules.

In response to fall break and the uptick in positive cases on campus, the College required all students to take an observed antigen test on either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. This was a change from the original plan to only have students that traveled over the break take an antigen test. According to Ranen’s email, no one tested positive on an antigen test.

Additionally, the PCR testing schedule was adjusted to have students test on Tuesday and Thursday or Wednesday and Friday based on when they returned to campus.

The College will remain in Yellow status for the time being, but Ranen expressed optimism for a return to Green on October 18.

“As previously noted, we hope to return to campus status level green on Monday, depending on test results from the end of this week and this weekend,” Ranen wrote in his email.

Halina Bennet contributed to this report.