Some North Country college campuses to have weekly COVID-19 testing this semester
SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras visits the region
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Updated: 6:19 PM EST Feb 8, 2021
SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras visits the region
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Updated: 6:19 PM EST Feb 8, 2021
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UNDERWAY NOW -- ON THE LEGISALTURE'S WEBSITE SITE. STUDENTS AT SOME NORTH COUNTRY COLLEGES. BACK ON CAMPUS this week. where they'll be GETTING TESTED MORE. FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. áá THIS SEMESTER. N-B-C FIVE'S ELENA BARILLA IS LIVE IN PLATTSBURGH. ELENA. ??? HOW OFTEN WILL STUDENTS AND STAFF BE TESTED... SUNY CHANCELLOR JIM MALATRAS VISITED SUNY PLATTSBURGH TODAY... AND HE SAYS TESTING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE IN REOPENING... THAT'S WHY THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT WEEKLY NOW. SUNY PLATTSBURGH STUDENTS RETURNING TO CAMPUS... IN A PHASED APPROACH THIS WEEK. (JONATHAN GIBBS/SOPHOMORE AT SUNY PLATTSBURGH) "I REMEMBER FRESHMAN YEAR, THERE WAS LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE, LIKE, THERE WASN'T EVEN ROOM TO PARK. IT WAS SO RUSHED. THERE WASN'T EVEN ROOM IN THE ELEVATORS OR ANYTHING." AND SOME COVID- 19 SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE. MASKS TO BE WORN AT ALL TIMES EVEN WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING... and students won't be leaving for spring break this year. (KATTIE PEREZ/FRESHMAN AT SUNY PLATTSBURGH) "THEY'RE JUST SUPER SCRICT ABOUT IT. THEY'RE REALLY STRICT ABOUT YOU KNOW YOU WEARING YOUR MASK AND SOCIAL DISTANCING." BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST... STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO SHOW A NEGATIVE TEST BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF IN- PERSON CLASS ON MONDAY. AND FROM THERE... THEY'LL HAVE POOLED SURVEILLANCE TESTING EVERY WEEK... UNTIL THE END OF THE SEMESTER... AFTER THE SYSTEM NOW HAS MORE LAB CAPACITY FOR TESTS. (ALEXANDER ENYEDI/PRESIDENT OF SUNY PLATTSBURGH) "IT'S MANDATORY TO PARTICIPATE, SO YOU'LL HAVE TO COME TO TESTING AT YOUR PRESCRIBED TIME, WHETHER YOU'RE A STUDENT, A FACULTY MEMBER, A STAFF MEMBER, OR EVEN THE PRESIDENT." SUNY CHANCELLOR JIM MALATRAS SAYS THE 24 TO 48- HOUR TURNAROUND IS HOW THEY'LL MANAGE THE VIRUS. WITH TEST RESULTS ABLE TO PICK UP ASYMPTOMATIC CASES. (SUNY CHANCELLOR JIM MALATRAS) "THOSE ARE THE CASES WE WANNA KNOW ABOUT. SYMPTOMATIC FOLKS, THERE'S MANY TESTS, THE ASYMPTOMATIC SPREAD, ESPECIALLY ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS, IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. THAT'S IF YOU STOP THE OUTBREAK FROM HAPPENING OR NOT." (GABY HERRERA/ SOPHOMORE AT SUNY PLATTSBURGH) "FOR ME,I HAVE SOME MORE IN PERSON LABS SO IT DEFINITELY MAKES ME FEEL A LOT SAFER KNOWING WE'RE GETTING TESTED EVERY WEEK." (KAYLAH MURRELL/FRESHMAN AT SUNY PLATTSUBURGH) "LET'S STAY ON TOP OF THE TESTING SO WE CAN CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBERS IF THERE ARE CASES." MALATRAS SAYING WITH THIS AND VACCINE ROLLOUT... HE'S HOPEFUL ABOUT MORE ON- CAMPUS ACTIVITIES THIS SPRING. AND SOME FORM OF COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY... THAT ISN'T ENTIRELY VIRTUAL. BUT THAT HE SAYS... IT'S UP TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY TO KEEP THOSE CASES DOWN. CHANCELLOR MALATRAS ALSO VISITED CLINTON AND NORTH COUNTRY COMMUNITY COLLEGES THIS AFTERNOON