University of Michigan students told to stay home due to Covid-19 variant

County officials asked University of Michigan students to stay at home on Wednesday, hoping to curb the spread of a contagious variant of the coronavirus.

The Washtenaw County Health Department said his recommendation “has the full support” of school officials.

“Students are urged to stay at their campus address and not meet with other people outside of their household,” according to a statement from the health department.

“Students are only allowed to leave their residences to participate in limited activities, including in-person lessons, assignments or research that cannot be done remotely, to obtain food, medical care and other approved activities.

This new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus has public health officials on edge over concerns the disease could spread rapidly even as more vaccines are administered across the country.

The University of Michigan is home to more than 31,000 undergraduates and nearly 17,000 graduate students.

About 90% of the school’s lessons are already virtual. The practical impact of Wednesday’s recommendation is aimed at preventing students from congregating outside of classrooms, Department of Health spokeswoman Susan Ringler Cerniglia said.

“We are very concerned about the potential for the rapid spread of this variant,” Jimena Loveluck, Washtenaw’s health officer, said in a statement. “We are working closely with the university to take coordinated action to control the current outbreak and better understand the situation.”

The health department wants college students to stay home unless they go out to buy food or medicine, see a doctor, attend church services, or exercise outdoors. declared Cerniglia.