Updated Sept. 18, at 12:02 p.m. to include information on the additional safety measures taken at Alert Level 2.
Elon University COVID-19 Alert Level is now in Level 2, or moderate alert level, after 21 student-athletes tested positive for the coronavirus.
The university reported 24 new cases Sept. 17. 21 of those cases are student-athletes. Another 18 student-athletes are showing symptoms. This brings the overall number of cases on Elon’s campus to 65.
Since a majority of the new cases have come from student-athletes, some of the precautions of the moderate alert level system including suspending athletics activity, according to Owen Covington director Elon University News Bureau.
The factors the university considers when moving to and from levels are both based on university and regional data.
University factors include the number of cases at Elon University in the last seven days, the percentage of students in isolation or quarantine and the percentage of both faculty and staff in isolation or quarantine.
According to Covington, the move to the moderate alert level is prompting the university to expand the number of random tests — something the university has already implemented this week.
The university guidelines on the Ready & Resilient website advises a move to Level 2 if there are 10 to 20 cases in the last seven days. There have been 43 cases in the past seven days. This number falls into Level 4 - Very High Alert.
The percentage of students in isolation or quarantine as of September 16 was 1.9%, or 1.7% if graduate students are included.
Regional data only amounts to 20% of the university’s decision.
According to the university alert levels guide, the moderate alert level continues classes primarily in-person, but also in hybrid learning. It says some classes may rely more on remote instruction if too many students or their instructor are in quarantine.
The alert model says the university will “implement limits on-campus activities and events” to help the spread.