Coronavirus Update, November 23, 2020
A press release issued by The Tompkins County Health Department Friday is alerting the public of a potential COVID-19 exposure at BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ithaca. The individual who tested positive is an employee at the business and is now in isolation. Any close contacts are also in quarantine.
Potential public exposures may have occurred at BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ithaca during the following dates and times: Tuesday, November 10, 7:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, November 11, 1:15 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. Friday, November 13, 7:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Saturday, November 14, 1:15 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. Sunday, November 15, 7:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Anyone who thinks they've been exposed should get tested and monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19.
More information about the dates and times of the exposure, about how to get tested or to see a full list of symptoms, visit the TC Health Department's website or call 607-274-6688.
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Despite rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Tompkins County and the country, Ithaca College hopes to bring students back on-campus this Spring.
Ithaca College administrators held a town hall last week to share updates on its reopening plan and any changes IC is looking at for bringing students back to campus. According to the administrators, there will be five scheduled “mini-breaks” or single days-off in place of spring break. In order to discourage travel from Tompkins County, IC says they will not provide quarantine housing for those who need to return to campus after traveling during the spring semester.
The semester will possibly begin with two weeks of remote classes, according to the Ithaca Voice. In person classes would commence on February 8th. The move-in process would start January 7th, with athletes moving in first. Ithaca College stated that it has the capacity to give 100 students quarantine housing per week. Students can leave quarantine housing after two negative COVID-19 tests. The Ithaca College leaders say the school could provide 400 students quarantine housing four weeks after the start of classes.
Notably, Ithaca College administrators answered questions about the growing amount of staff layoffs at the school, according to the Ithaca Voice.
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Looking at the local COVID-19 caseload, the latest numbers posted from the Tompkins County health department by the time of the 6 p.m. broadcast, indicate that there are 25 additional positives, and 42 new recoveries. According to the County Health Department, that leaves 133 active cases of COVID-19 in Tompkins.
In Schuyler County, there are 23 new cases of COVID-19 reported Monday, leaving 38 active cases, according to their Health Department. 8 are hospitalized with complications from novel coronavirus.
Contributing writing by WRFI News Intern Christian Maitre