MSU CAMPUS — Michigan State University has started lifting physical distancing directives put in place after a spike in COVID-19 cases last month.
The initial directive announced Jan. 31 was supposed to end Feb. 13.
“As the two weeks was coming to an end, we were seeing a drop in cases, it hadn't been long enough to really call it a trend,” said Kat Cooper of the MSU Residential and Hospitality Services Division.
University officials say campus services are partially reopening as a reward to students for the gradual decrease in cases.
“We were able to lift a little bit of the enhanced distancing to allow students to sit in the dining halls one to a table and, that way, we can really have more oversight, we also reopened the on-campus gyms, the intramural facilities and the MSU Union returned to its regular hours,” Cooper said.
But some students think this might have happened sooner if they'd listened to the directives by school officials.
“I still see a lot of people partying and just not caring ... they’re just tired and over it instead of following the rules like we’re supposed to. When if we followed the rules, it’d probably be over by now,“ Rudy Richmond said.
While some of those services have opened back up. It remains unclear when the university plans to take next steps towards reopening. MSU is expected to release an updated timeline on Friday.
“Some students are very grateful that the university is taking these steps to protect them, others are frustrated and I certainly understand," Cooper. "Isolation has gotten to us all.”
Cooper also said university health services are closely monitoring new COVID-19 variants in an abundance of caution.
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