Officials will pack and store students’ belongings until the start of the fall semester at no cost and temporarily house medical professionals in residence halls.

A professional moving company will manage the process in phases taking place from the first week of April until the first week of May, according to an email sent to students living on campus. Students were required to move out of their residence halls by March 20 unless they qualified for an exemption after officials announced classes would move online for the semester in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With local and state governments continuing to implement movement restrictions and stay home instructions to limit the spread of COVID-19, we do not believe it will be safe for students and their families to return to campus in the coming weeks to move out on their own accord,” the email states.

Officials did not name the moving company being used but said the company’s employees will be “trained in the most up-to-date safety and security measures including a video chat and photographic documentation of belongings.” The process will occur in phases, starting with Thurston and Munson halls, District House and International House, and students will receive specific information before their belongings are packed, according to the email.

The Residence Hall Association recommended students “clearly separate” their belongings from their roommates earlier this month in an email in case of emergency.

Administrators are also exploring options to ship students’ belongings or for students to retrieve their belongings if it becomes safe to do so, according to the email.

“We realize that this is not ideal and will work with you during the packing process to ensure you can be reunited with your belongings as soon as it is safe to do so,” the email states.

Officials said in the email that they will house health care workers employed in the University’s medical enterprise aiding in the fight against COVID-19 in residence halls.

“An added urgency is the need to provide temporary housing to medical professionals from GW Hospital and GW Medical Faculty Associates who are unable to travel home to be with their families while they provide medical care during this growing pandemic,” the email states.