Cal Poly’s COVID-19 Dashboard now includes the number of students who have tested positive for COVID-19 after university officials updated it with new categeories Friday, Jan. 14. Before the update, the dashboard showed the total number of COVID-positive tests performed. Now, the dashboard also breaks down the number of individual on- and off-campus students who […]
Author Archives: Omar Rashad
Posted inNews, The Hill, Top Stories
Armstrong says ‘21,000+ students’ got tested. Cal Poly’s COVID-19 dashboard doesn’t agree
In his latest email to the Cal Poly community, President Jeffrey Armstrong addressed concerns about in-person classes amidst a COVID-19 spike — but data he referenced contradicts data on the university’s own COVID-19 Dashboard. Armstrong’s Jan. 13 email noted how “[t]he university tested all 21,000+ students within approximately one week of their arrival.” Cal Poly’s […]
Posted inNews, The Hill, Top Stories
Cal Poly community petitions for safety protocols after week one COVID blunders
One week into winter quarter, Cal Poly community members are petitioning for safer COVID-19 policies after what they say is university administration’s mishandling of its worst coronavirus surge yet. The petition garnered more than 2,960 signatures in just a few days, including university employees, students, parents, alumni and community members. It cites a main issue […]
Posted inNews
Record-high number of Cal Poly students test positive for COVID-19
Three days into the new year, more students have tested positive for the coronavirus through Cal Poly’s COVID-19 testing program than ever before, according to the university’s COVID-19 Dashboard. On Sunday, Jan. 2, Cal Poly reported a record-high of 81 positive tests out of 1,939 total tests performed. Cal Poly students made up about 39% […]
Posted inNews
Update: Cal Poly requires COVID-19 booster shot, testing during first week back on campus
Students accessing campus are required to test for COVID-19 during the first week of winter quarter regardless of vaccination status, Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong announced in a campus-wide email Wednesday afternoon. Pre-arrival tests will not be accepted, Armstrong said. The testing schedule is as follows: Unvaccinated students January 2-3: Unvaccinated students (those with medical […]
Posted inNews, The Hill, Top Stories
Growing number of students have stopped completing daily symptom screener
Since the beginning of fall quarter, a growing number of students have stopped filling out Cal Poly’s daily symptom screener, meaning less students are reporting whether they have COVID-19 symptoms to the university. Over the first five weeks of the fall quarter, the weekly count of completed daily symptom screeners fell by 32% — from […]
Posted inNews
Winds push wildfire smoke away from San Luis Obispo after a weekend of dim skies
The Windy Fire and KNP Complex fires burning through Sequoia National Park sent wildfire smoke into the Central Coast beginning Thursday, although officials said wind patterns began pushing smoke away from San Luis Obispo starting Monday. On Thursday, winds blowing southwest sent wildfire smoke to Santa Barbara County from the 88,068-acre Windy Fire and the […]
Posted inNews, Top Stories
First day: 2,000 students noncompliant with testing requirements
More than 2,000 students were ineligible to attend in-person classes or activities on the first day of fall quarter due to noncompliance with COVID-19 testing requirements. They were issued a blue campus pass, which advises students to submit a negative COVID-19 test result as soon as possible in order to attend class. Another 197 students […]
Posted inNews
COVID-19 is surging in San Luis Obispo County. Is it safe for Cal Poly to reopen?
When Cal Poly reopens this month for another school year amidst a pandemic, the campus will be operating near normal, administrators have said for months. University housing will be at maximum capacity — with about 8,000 students living on campus — and 87% of all classes will be held in-person, Cal Poly Spokesperson Matt Lazier wrote […]
Posted inNews
Mask mandate reinstated in San Luis Obispo County amid highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations
San Luis Obispo County residents will once again have to wear face masks in all public indoor settings as of Tuesday night. Director of Public Health Penny Borenstein announced at a briefing Tuesday afternoon that a mask mandate is a proven and effective way to bring down cases, as San Luis Obispo County has faced […]
Posted inNews, Top Stories
As more students get vaccinated, COVID-19 cases drop within Cal Poly community
Students getting vaccinated have caused COVID-19 cases in the Cal Poly community to decline since May. The last time a student tested positive for the coronavirus through the university’s testing program was May 20, according to Cal Poly’s COVID-19 dashboard. Only four students have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last three weeks. In […]