Pitt students asked to 'shelter-in-place' before Thanksgiving break

University of Pittsburgh students have been asked to shelter in place for 14 days leading up to Thanksgiving break, according to an email sent Monday morning from the school’s Covid-19 Medical Response Office.

“There is an increased risk of spreading and contracting the virus when traveling and interacting with people you have not come in close contact with for some time,” the message reads. “We suggest that you develop a plan in consultation with your family to ensure that everyone involved is aware of and comfortable with the precautions you plan to take.”

Thanksgiving break is scheduled to start Nov. 20, and students will not return afterward — instead finishing the semester virtually until classes end Dec. 5.

The shelter-in-place period will begin Nov. 12 to allow for 10 days of sheltering on campus. Ideally, the message reads, students will shelter at least four days at home before interacting with friends and family members without a mask and physical distancing.

Pitt spokesman Pat McMahon said the shelter-in-place is strongly advised, but not required.

“The University will take measures, such as moving to take-out only dining and closing certain high-risk activities and spaces, to help students make safe, smart decisions,” he said in a statement. “Ultimately, we hope our students will take these steps out of concern and respect for the wellbeing of themselves, their family and their friends.”

During shelter-in-place, the Covid-19 Medical Response Office recommends students limit close contacts, reestablishing “pods” and avoiding new social gatherings.

“For students with family or friends who are at higher risk or with vulnerable persons at home, you should combine shelter-in-place with masking and physical distancing even within your pod or network to provide an increased degree of protection for your transition home,” the email message reads.

The office encouraged greater virtual interactions, noting that several university public spaces will close beginning Nov. 12 — including dine-in campus dining, gyms and recreation spaces in residence halls and lounges and kitchens in residence halls. Attendance at any non-academic events is discouraged, and students are being asked to only leave their rooms to attend class, exercise or other essential activities.

At home, the office recommends students limit trips out of their households, keep physical distance and continue wearing face coverings for at least four days. The university is also exploring options to make at-home testing available to interested students, the email said.

Pitt recently moved into “Guarded Risk Posture,” allowing for more in-person classes and greater dining hall capacity. Students are still permitted to attend in-person classes during the shelter-in-place period.

“The most valuable piece of our mitigation strategy is the compliance with our health rules – face coverings, physical distancing and hand hygiene – and compliance has been good,” McMahon said. “We are currently collecting feedback from our community to determine what changes we may need for the spring term, but the Resilience Framework has served us well as conditions on our campuses varied, and we will lean on it and our University experts’ medical advice into the spring term.”