Positive COVID-19 rates increase, University administration urges students to report for surveillance testing

In light of positive COVID-19 rates increasing both at Notre Dame and in St. Joseph County, vice president of student affairs Erin Hoffmann Harding urged students to comply with surveillance testing in an email Thursday.

The seven-day moving average of positive cases is 15.7 as of today, and the estimated number of active cases is 133. Notre Dame reported 15 additional cases today.

Students who do not report for surveillance testing next week cannot attend the Nov. 7 football game against Clemson.

“Next Friday, Nov. 6, the COVID-19 Response Unit will notify the Murnane Family Ticket Office of those students who did not report when called, and their tickets will be deactivated,” she said.

Before the end of the semester, students will also be scheduled for exit testing in order to protect family, friends and home communities where students will spend the winter session.

Hoffmann Harding said students are only exempt from testing if they tested positive for COVID-19 within the last three months, are currently in quarantine or are a student-athlete.

“Surveillance testing is simple and only takes a few minutes, and is a critical way for us to keep our campus healthy,” Hoffmann Harding said. “Please know of our continued prayers for our campus community and your well-being and safety in these last few weeks of the semester.”