University of Chicago Booth School of Business goes remote after over 100 students exposed to COVID-19 at off-campus gathering, officials say
CHICAGO (WLS) -- University of Chicago's Booth School of Business moved to remote classes Wednesday after more than 100 students need to quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure.
Last week, a large group of full-time MBA students gathered off-campus on Chicago's North Side, many without face coverings, the school said.
Since that, some students from that group have tested positive for COVID-19.
All of the students involved have been instructed to quarantine and get tested. In all, more than 100 MBA students will need to quarantine for 14 days, the school said.
Booth announced that as an additional precautionary measure to limit the spread of COVID-19, for the next two weeks Booth's downtown and Hyde Park locations will be closed to all students, and all classes will move to full remote teaching. No other university courses outside of Booth are being moved to remote format, school officials said.
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"Since the start of Autumn Quarter, the vast majority of University community members have adopted the UChicago Health Pact and have made its requirements part of their daily routines," the dean of students said in a message to the school community Wednesday. "Those who participated in this gathering have cooperated with the University's Contact Tracing Team. We will take all appropriate measures to limit further spread of COVID-19 as a result of this exposure."
The UChicago Forward website includes a dashboard with regular updates on COVID-19 cases at the university.
Read the school's full statement:
"The health and safety of our community is of the utmost priority. Once we learned of the off-campus, unsanctioned student gatherings that included some students who have tested positive for Covid-19, we took immediate action to limit any further spread. This included providing the necessary resources to our students including proper medical care and implementing the contact tracing and isolation/quarantine procedures established before the start of the quarter. We have also moved all Booth classes to fully remote for the next two weeks as an added precautionary measure."
