Penn State to start spring semester in person, as planned

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — Penn State will start the spring semester as planned, with in-person activities and classes held as scheduled.

The university says that health and safety protocols will continue, and that university staff will continue to monitor conditions around University Park and its Commonwealth Campuses. Plans will be altered if necessary.

Additional or enhanced protocols may be added in the coming weeks depending on the circumstances surrounding the omicron variant, Penn State says.

“Our students, faculty and staff have a very high vaccination rate, we are testing weekly those who are not vaccinated and we are continuing to require face masks to be worn indoors,” said Penn State President Eric Barron. “With these measures in place, together with hospitalization data and what we are learning about omicron, we believe we can safely, but carefully, return to on-campus classes and activities as planned.”

University staff urges students to order a free, mail-in Vault Health test kit to get tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus.

“Any student or employee can currently order up to 12 Vault Health kits for at-home use,” said Kelly Wolgast, director of the COCC. “I want to emphasize that students at all campus locations can take actions now to order a test and complete it next week to know their health status before returning to a campus.”

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“We will prioritize student testing during move-in weekend at University Park,” Wolgast said. “At University Park, the White Building drop-in testing site will be open on move-in weekend, Jan. 7-9, and students, both residential and non-residential, who did not take a COVID-19 test prior to arriving to campus are, and will be, strongly encouraged to take a rapid test at the White Building on arrival.”

Penn State says that students who test positive using University testing resources will be contacted by contact tracing. Students who test positive using outside test resources should refer themselves to contact tracing through myUHS or by calling 814-863-8800.

For the latest information on Penn State’s response to COVID-19, click here.