Some American Colleges Return to COVID-19 Restrictions

Many university students in the United States thought they would get through the final weeks of the 2021-2022 school year without another COVID-19 restriction¹.

That is no longer the case for some.

Major universities in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Texas recently put pandemic restrictions² back in place. Many are once again requiring face coverings.

In Washington, D.C., Howard University moved its classes back online.

At Rice University in Texas, leaders told students to cancel any large parties.

These and other rules come about three weeks before many universities hoped to hold graduation events without restrictions.

Another year of restrictions

For some students, it is the third straight year of COVID-related restrictions.

Nina Heller is a third-year student at American University in Washington, D.C. When the school year started last August, she said many people thought "we're nearing the tail end" of the pandemic. "That didn't quite happen," Heller said.

Most universities removed mask-wearing requirements earlier in 2022, after the fast spread of the Omicron variant³ ended. But a new version of Omicron is now spreading, especially in the northeastern part of the U.S. The new variant is known as BA.2.

For a short time in April, the city of Philadelphia brought back mask requirements. Universities there, including Temple and the University of Pennsylvania, followed along. While Philadelphia removed the mask requirement, the universities kept it in place on campus.

At Williams College in Massachusetts, some professors permitted students to come to class without masks beginning in April. But after less than a week, the university put a new requirement in place.

More students sick

Kitt Urdang is a third-year student at Williams. Urdang said many friends are getting sick. Urdang said they were "dropping like flies." "There's definitely been a lot more uncertainty⁴" in recent days, the student added.

In Washington, D.C., Howard's campus was quiet last week. Students studied for their final exams and took classes from home. The number of COVID-19 cases in D.C. increased by 100 percent in April. The university has not said if it will change plans for graduation, set to take place May 7.

Lia DeGroot is a student at George Washington University, also in D.C. She said she never stopped wearing her mask and that returning to face coverings is "a relatively⁵ small thing to do."

More than just masks

Other universities, such as Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, are asking students to take COVID-19 virus tests two times a week. At New Mexico State University, students are now required to have a COVID-19 vaccine⁶ by July 1 instead of showing a negative virus test each week.

Anita Barking is a leader of the COVID-19 task force for the American College Health Association. She said "the pandemic is still with us." She said that even if students would like it to be over, that is just "wishful thinking."

But many students are thinking that way.

Neeraj Sudhakar is working on an advanced degree in engineering at Columbia University in New York City. Sudhakar said most students there are vaccinated⁷. The student said: "I think we just need to move on with the pandemic and treat it as endemic rather than going back to what we were doing the past two years."

Words in This Story

graduation – n. the act of receiving a diploma from a school or university

tail end –n. the last part of something

variant – adj. different from others of the same kind

campus – n. the buildings that make up a school or university

drop like flies – expression. used to describe something that is happening quickly and in large numbers, related to a sickness or death

negative – adj. not showing the presence of a germ or infection

endemic – adj. common or existing often

1 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

4 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

7 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？