Some DC university students will face stringent COVID-19 requirements after Thanksgiving

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - D.C. is reporting its highest number of positive COVID-19 cases since May. This news is coming on the heels of Thanksgiving where families are expected to gather in larger-than-normal numbers.

With new travel restrictions in the District in place, how will this affect the city’s universities where some students are still expected to return to campus?

Travel restrictions by state: DC, Maryland and Virginia

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says The George Washington University – and all of the District’s schools – are operating in lockstep with city officials.

The mayor’s office says George Washington’s plan to potentially bring a small cohort of students back to campus after the break will fit within District guidelines. A university official tells FOX 5 classes will continue to be virtual this fall and through the spring semester.

The university also says that all students who will be traveling to restricted areas will have to take two COVID-19 tests with negative tests upon arrival.

The George Washington University (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

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In addition, every student living on campus or students approved to be on campus must test weekly.

The students who talked to FOX 5 said they are cognizant of the rules they’re expected to follow.

“Just because we have the coronavirus and everything like that doesn’t stop the students from being free oy anybody. If you go here if you love it here any kind of way you do it just make sure you do the best thing for you. But make sure you respect the protocols and the guidelines,” one student said.

On Wednesday, Maryland turned back the clock on its reopening plan by reducing indoor capacity to 50 percent and reducing social gatherings to 25 people.

Bowser says the District has never left phase 2, and that the administration feels that other jurisdictions are beginning to fall back in line with D.C.’s restrictions.

Bowser says that at this time, she has no intention of rolling back the reopening process.

CORRECTION: An earlier edition of this story stated that students would return to campus after Thanksgiving break. This has been corrected to reflect a small cohort of students could return to “campus” after break, but not to the classroom, per GWU officials.