RIT now on the edge of an Orange Alert

At 8:56pm on October 30, 2020, the Rochester Institute of Technology has issued a university-wide alert that the prevalence of COVID-19 continues to increase across the campus and surrounding area.

"We understand this is Halloween weekend. But we are in the midst of a global pandemic, so this is not the year to engage in typical Halloween gatherings and activities," university officials have stated in a COVID update. "Public health experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have cautioned about the risk of spreading the virus this Halloween."

From Halloween onwards, the university will now limit indoor gatherings to 10 people and outdoor activities to 50, with masks and 6 feet of physical distancing required. All intercollegiate athletic events, including Men's and Women's Ice Hockey, have been temporarily suspended for at least 10 days and seating in indoor dining areas are now limited to just two people per table.

"We are taking these measures because we are seeing indicators that parallel what has occurred at other colleges and universities that have led to complete closure with students sent home," university officials explained. "We do not want to join that list of schools!"

If the increasing prevalence of COVID-19 isn't reversed soon, the university will then implement an Orange Alert which closes all areas of congregation and prohibits visitors from stepping foot on the Rochester campus. Research activities would be limited and staff would have to be reduced to essential workers.