Coronavirus Update, March 31, 2021
Cases continue to rise on the east hill. Cornell University is announcing strict measures against students who miss surveillance COVID tests.
Students who miss their scheduled tests will lose access to Canvas, the online platform the university uses to post course materials, assignments and exams. Professors cannot give extensions or make-up exams. Students will also lose access to campus WiFi.
These penalties will stay in place for 12 to 24 hours after a student makes up a missed surveillance test.
Missing COVID testing is a violation of the university’s behavioral compact, a contract students must abide by during the pandemic.
Ithaca City School District is negotiating with the teacher’s union to determine a date to increase it’s school occupancy. A partial agreement indicates that they will allow younger students back into classrooms soon.
Polycarbonate barriers will be installed in the elementary school classrooms. Families of students learning remotely in pre-K through 5th will have to contact the school and request in-person learning by this Friday, April 2nd.
This plan to expand in-person learning was endorsed by the district's medical director last week.
Kinney Drugs is starting to administer COVID vaccines to those ages 30 and older.
This comes after Cuomo’s announcement yesterday, expanding eligibility to those over 30.
Kinney Drugs has previously administered vaccines to teachers and those over 50.
People can make appointments through Kinney’s site. Those ages 16 and up will be eligible to receive the vaccine on April 6.
Tompkins County is reporting 184 active cases with 17 new positive cases today.
Schuyler county is reporting 27 active cases of COVID with 4 new positive cases today.