Holiday COVID-19 update

Heading into the week of Thanksgiving, Governor Walz announced new COVID-19 restrictions in an effort to reduce the spread of the virus, while St. Kate’s encouraged resident students to stay home for the rest of the semester if they chose to leave campus over break. 

With Minnesota’s cases on the rise, social gatherings outside of the same household have been prohibited through December 18th, and bars and restaurants can no longer host indoor or outdoor seating. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the total number of positive cases in Minnesota has shot well over 300,000. For more details on the number of cases and deaths in Minnesota, check out the MDH website.

This significant rise in cases paired with the dangers posed by Thanksgiving and Christmas break prompted St. Kate’s to provide free saliva testing on campus. Testing is being held in the Butler Center for all students, faculty, and staff, as well as their immediate family members. The test is completed with only the assistance of a smartphone, limiting contact with staff members. Results are emailed directly to you.

Students who left campus for break and decided to return are strongly encouraged to sign up for one of these free tests, and any students heading home for Christmas should do the same before they leave. The sign-up can be found on this page, along with further details about the test.

Though the hope of a vaccine is on the horizon, students should remain alert and continue to follow guidelines on and off campus. Wear a mask, keep six feet apart, and limit contact with others as much as possible.

For those who celebrate holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah, it will be difficult to pass on annual traditions and stay away from extended family and friends, but the health of the people we care about is more important than ever during the season of giving. 

Holiday themed masks are cropping up in stores across the state, so consider picking out a cute reindeer pattern, snuggle in with some hot chocolate (if temperatures ever drop), and keep each other safe as we finish out the semester.