Madison Kwiecinski 

News Editor 

Mvk5945@psu.edu 

Students recently returned to Penn State campuses all across Pennsylvania to begin their spring semester. However, Penn State students were concerned over break about whether a return to in-person classes would be possible amidst rising COVID-19 cases. With the emergence of the Omicron strain of the virus, coronavirus cases have once again been rising, forcing people to consider staying home in order to prioritize safety.  

The spring semester at Penn State Behrend has begun as scheduled, with multiple precautions in place to protect students from the virus. Precautions range from on-campus vaccinations to continued weekly testing for those who have not yet been vaccinated. Penn State Behrend currently has a student vaccination rate of over 77 percent. The current employee vaccination rate that has been reported is over 71 percent. 

Students can access the Penn State COVID-19 dashboard for updates on their campuses current status, as well as the whole PSU system. The website is updated twice weekly, and contains a variety of prevalent information including the number of students who have been tested each week by campus, how many of whom have tested positive and how many are currently vaccinated. This is a beneficial resource for those who are concerned about  rising cases, and can be accessed at https://virusinfo.psu.edu/covid-19-dashboard/ at any time. 

COVID-19 vaccinations are not required at Penn State, but that does not mean the university does not have an opinion on the topic. PSU strongly encourages students to get vaccinated, and to report their vaccination to the university. PSU has released several statements strongly urging students to receive their vaccine and booster as soon as they are applicable and able to do so. 

Testing is always available on-campus, but students should be sure to go to the proper location for testing. For students who are requesting a test as a precaution but are not actively experiencing symptoms, a mail-in test can be picked up seven days a week at the RUB desk in the Reed Union Building. If you are symptomatic, do not go to the Student Union Building to receive a test. Penn State Behrend’s Health and Wellness Center provides testing for those who are symptomatic and believe they currently have COVID-19. If you need a test because you are symptomatic or believe you have COVID-19, call the number 814-898-6217 to book an appointment. 

Additionally, those who are not vaccinated are required to complete weekly testing. For the spring semester, the weekly testing period resets on Mondays, therefore one test should be being taken every week. Weekly tests are also picked up at the RUB desk inside the Reed Union Building by scanning a student ID or providing your PSU email address. The desk is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. with weekend hours including Saturday from 12:00 pm to 10:00 PM and Sunday from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

Although things still currently look different from a pre-pandemic semester, Penn State  is currently on-campus with in-person classes. COVID-19 precautions are being taken, and students are glad to be back on campus beginning their spring classes.