March 27, 2020
To the William Paterson University Community,
As I’m sure you are aware from recent news reports, cases of COVID-19 are growing throughout our region. On March 18, 2020, President Helldobler wrote to the University community about the first confirmed case on our campus. Since then, we have been informed of several possible or probable cases among our colleagues, both students and staff. Some individuals are not being tested, but meet the criteria of healthcare professionals for a diagnosis of COVID-19. Also, many of these cases have not been confirmed by local health officials due to the rapid influx of recent cases they are handling, but these individuals are being treated as having tested positive. Local health officials are continuing to investigate positive cases and will provide notification to close contacts.
Almost all students have been off campus since March 14, and most faculty and staff have been off campus since March 18. The average time between exposure to someone with COVID-19 and the onset of symptoms is five days. Therefore, the risk of a member of the University community developing new symptoms due to campus exposure is low. As a result, we will not be sending out any further notifications about members of the campus community who test positive.
We are, however, still continuing to track the number of cases so that we know the impact that COVID-19 is having on members of the University community. If you have symptoms, please notify your healthcare provider. If you are an employee and are diagnosed with, or are told you most likely have, COVID-19, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 973-720-2605. If you are a student, and are diagnosed with, or are told you most likely have, COVID-19, please call the Counseling, Health, and Wellness Center at 973-720-2360.
This is a time filled with worry and uncertainty. As President Helldobler previously announced, he will be writing to the staff on April 3 with an update on ongoing plans for a safe opening. I assure you that decisions regarding the return to campus will continue to be guided by recommendations from the State of New Jersey and health officials. The health and the safety of the William Paterson University community is of the utmost priority and we are doing everything we can to reduce the spread of COVID-19.