Carnegie Mellon postpones start of in-person instruction, citing covid-19 rates in region

Carnegie Mellon University officials announced Tuesday that the school will delay the start of in-person instruction for the spring semester until Feb. 15.

“As part of our continuing (covid-19) mitigation efforts, we have decided to delay the start of in-person instruction by one additional week,” CMU spokesman Jason Maderer said.

University officials said the decision was tied to the prevalence of the virus in the region. It marked the second time the Oakland-based research university has adjusted its calendar in an attempt to limit the spread of covid-19. The university originally delayed the start of the spring semester from Jan. 11 to Feb. 1, hoping to avoid the flu season and a winter surge of covid-19 infections.

Classes are still scheduled to being Feb. 1. The new adjustment simply extends what was originally intended to be a week of remote instruction to now cover the first two weeks of the semester.

The move came as hospitalization rates for covid-19 infection rates in Allegheny County fell to the lowest level since November and hospitalizations declined, dropping from 697 on Jan. 1 to 413 Tuesday. Even so, 119 covid patients remained in intensive care units with 58 on ventilators.

CMU, which conducted covid tests on returning students and those who were traveling as well random tests throughout the fall semester, announced last week that it is opening a new testing lab and will offer weekly tests to students, faculty and staff this semester at no cost.