The University will restrict on-campus students from visiting other residence halls at the start of the spring semester, officials announced in an email Friday.
Students may only visit rooms in their own residence halls with a limit of one guest per room, but officials will adjust the policy in line with recommendations from its medical advisory team monitoring the pandemic, according to the email from Campus Living and Residential Education staff. The email outlines the move-in process for students returning to campus this weekend ahead of the spring semester, which will kick off with at least one week of remote classes and online events because of record-high COVID-19 cases in D.C. and across the country.
“With a residential student only guest policy this means no outside guests, including guests from other GW residential buildings, are allowed to visit the residence halls until further notice,” the email reads. “This includes family or friends from outside of GW as well as GW students who live off-campus. The one exception is up to two helpers who arrive with you to help you move back into the halls when you arrive.”
The University introduced tighter campus restrictions for the spring semester late last month with a mandatory quarantine for students until they receive two negative tests and restricted seating at indoor dining areas. Friday’s email states students arriving after Sunday following a positive COVID-19 test at home do not need to quarantine when they reach campus and can wait 90 days until taking another test.
Residential students are receiving rapid and PCR COVID-19 tests at the University Student Center upon their arrival to campus this weekend. The email states the student center testing location will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The Colonial Health Center canceled all appointments scheduled for this weekend at the Foggy Bottom testing center because of the tests at the student center, according to an email sent to students Friday. Officials asked off-campus students in the email to reschedule their COVID-19 testing appointments for next week if they planned to receive a test this weekend.
Officials said they encourage residents to return home to isolate for 10 days if they receive positive results from their arrival COVID-19 test at the student center, but students can also move into isolation housing on campus. The email from CLRE staff states GW will charge students isolating at a hotel $30 each day for grocery deliveries and boxed meals.
