SUNY Students Must Take COVID Test Before Thanksgiving Break

It's definitely not the test college students were expecting before heading into Thanksgiving break.

ABC7 NY is reporting that the SUNY system is "requiring students to test negative for the coronavirus before they can leave for Thanksgiving break in hopes of preventing community spread as students fan across the country."

It's an innovative way to keep COVID-19 numbers down during the holiday break, however, it is no easy task.

The State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras told The Associated Press that the 64 schools within the SUNY program have until November 5th to come up with a plan to test " about 140,000 students within 10 days before Thanksgiving break."

COVID-19 will apply to students who are taking at least one class on campus and students who are working on campus as well as those using a campus facility (such as a gymnasium, library or dining hall).

Residential students who test positive will, obviously, have to isolate or quarantine.

Malatras is also recommending that faculty and staff to get tested.

ABC7 explains that back when SUNY schools opened up campuses to their students in August, some required testing while others didn't. For instance, SUNY Oneonta didn't require testing and later in September sent students home due to a COVID outbreak from an off-campus.

While at SUNY Geneseo, students were not allowed on campus unless they submitted "a negative COVID-19 test between seven to 14 days ahead of arrival on campus."

SUNY Geneseo usually enrolls about 6,000 students and reported 48 cases this fall. SUNY Oneonta also has about 6,000 students and estimate more than 720.