UConn Urges Students to Be Careful as Halloween Approaches; COVID-19 Cases Drop

The rate of positive cases of COVID-19 is down at UConn, and school officials are sending out the message to students to continue to be careful to keep it that way. With Halloween approaching, students are being urged to large gatherings and smaller inside gatherings and the school is planning some safe options for the holiday.

Eleanor JB Daugherty, associate vice president and dean of students at UConn, sent a letter to students, saying continued due diligence always matters.

“As Halloween approaches, please keep in mind recent DPH guidance. It is critical that we avoid large gatherings and smaller inside gatherings. I know UConn loves Halloween and I’m thankful to students and colleagues who will be announcing safe and fun programming throughout Halloween weekend on the uKindness website,” she wrote.

Due to the pandemic, nearly three out of four people have no plans to take their kids door-to-door this year, according to UNICEF USA, but the organization is not going to let COVID-19 cancel Halloween this year. We welcomed UNICEF President and CEO Michael J. Nyenhuis, who talked about a virtual Trick-or-Treat experience the fund is launching in honor of its 70th anniversary for kids to enjoy the tradition and learn about the importance of giving back!

UConn officials said there are 22 current positive and/or suspected on-campus student COVID-19 cases, the lowest since soon after students returned to campus in August. The positivity rate has dropped to less than 1 percent.

Student Health and Wellness on the Storrs campus administered more than 1,400 COVID-19 tests from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2 and UConn reports that the low positivity rate is supported by pooled and wastewater sampling.

A UConn student who is one of nearly 100 being quarantined inside a dorm on campus, talks about how the university is handling its COVID-19 protocols.

Overall, UConn has had 203 cases this semester and 268 students who were positive and/or symptomatic and treated by Student Health and Wellness have recovered and left isolation, according to UConn.

“In a time of increased rates of infection, UConn has proven to be an outlier. With one of the largest residential populations and rate of in-person learning among flagships in the region, we have one of the lowest rates of COVID infection as of today,” Daugherty wrote.

She said the school has followed precautions such as mask wearing and physical distancing, and the students have made sacrifices.

“I am incredibly grateful to our students. UConn’s plans, protocols, and practices can only be effective if our community follows them. The vast majority of you did. Thank you for all that you have done to keep us safe and open. You have consistently made concessions and sacrifices as you keep yourself and other Huskies safe. We all love UConn and, because of your efforts, we remain open,” Daugherty wrote.