UMD has been grappling with several clusters of three or more cases and outbreaks of five or more cases in on- and off-campus housing, the school said. Students who live off-campus are encouraged to stay home and limit activities. News4 s Darcy Spencer reports on the new restrictions and the order for students to sequester in place.
“We do not take lightly that these new measures impact everyday lives. We are keenly aware of the toll this virus is taking on our collective and individual mental health,” University President Darryll J. Pines said on Twitter.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) released a statement Saturday which issued a harsh rebuke of the university’s handling of the pandemic, saying the union s “calls for greater safety measures, procedures, and protocols have been ignored for too long and this is part of the reason we continue to have bad outcomes on campuses.”