Benedict College closes campus, cancels classes as coronavirus cases rise in SC
Benedict College students have been told to leave their on-campus residences by Monday as the Columbia school responds to the rising number of coronavirus cases.
The college will be closed from Wednesday through April 3, at the earliest, Benedict President Dr. Roslyn Artis said in a news release. Dining halls will be closing after dinner on Wednesday, according to the release.
On Friday the college announced it was extending spring break, and online/virtual classes will resume on March 23.
But students cannot participate in classes from on-campus residences. College officials said students must leave the dorms by noon, according to the release.
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MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Students are allowed to leave non-perishable belongings in their rooms until the first week of May, when they must return to campus to check out of the residence halls at the end of the semester, it said in the release.
All Benedict College events have been canceled until further notice. This includes the Founder’s Day Convocation and Rally, which was rescheduled to Sept. 3, according to the release.
Closing campus is a precaution, although Benedict officials said there are no cases at the college at this time.
As of Sunday, there were 28 people in South Carolina who had tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).
That’s the same day that South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster ordered all 1,250 public schools closed through the end of March. This covers all K-12 public schools, state colleges and technical colleges.
“Clearly, the risk to the Benedict College Community is equal to that of our public peers,” Artis said in the release.
On Saturday, the University of South Carolina said students are not allowed to stay in on-campus housing. This includes residence halls, as well as fraternity and sorority houses.
USC previously extended its spring break by a week and canceled classes. USC also suspended all in-person classes in favor of online classes through April 3, according to the school’s website.
In addition to USC and Benedict, Midlands Technical College will also be offering online classes. Midlands Tech’s virtual classes will start on March 23, according to a news release.
Students should not come to any of the Midlands Tech campuses and all off-campus activities have been canceled, according to the release.
DHEC is encouraging people to practice “social distancing” to help stop the spread of the virus. Social distancing is staying away from unnecessary interactions with sick people and from large groups of people; it also calls for remaining at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out.
Symptoms of coronavirus vary from mild to severe and include coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath, according to the CDC.
The best way to prevent infection is to wash hands for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with sick people and clean frequently touched objects with a cleaning spray or wipe, according to the CDC.
As of Monday morning, 169,387 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 6,513 people have died, while 77,257 recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, 3,774 people have been diagnosed with the novel virus. In the U.S. 69 deaths have been reported, including 42 in Washington state, according to Johns Hopkins.
Free online screenings also can be accessed by all South Carolina residents, by going to scdhec.gov/COVID19.
Prisma Health is also offering free access to medical professionals for those who think they may have coronavirus, The State reported. People experiencing COVID-19 symptoms can go to https://www.prismahealth.org/virtual-visit/ and schedule a free online visit, Prisma officials said.
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MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 10:46 AM.
