Following the Labor Day holiday weekend, Winona State University announced it is enacting a 14-day campus quarantine beginning Sept. 8. The quarantine will limit all non-essential activities on campus for the next two weeks in a concerted effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“The university is not currently aware of any serious illness related to COVID-19 within the WSU community,” shared WSU President Scott R. Olson. “However, we are seeing an increase in asymptomatic transmission, and we have a responsibility to our students, our employees, and to our community to respond accordingly. We recognize that the recent increase in cases is not only impacting our campus, but the entire Winona community.”

The self-imposed quarantine will reduce the number of people physically present on campus for the next two weeks. Courses with face-to-face instruction will either shift entirely online, or if absolutely necessary, require increased precautions in order to continue in-person instruction. All employees who do not need to be physically present on campus will shift to remote work, and individual campus facilities and other areas may impose additional restrictions as needed.

“We are hopeful that these actions will flatten the growth in numbers,” said Olson. “We will continue to monitor this evolving situation and take appropriate actions as needed.”

Visit the WSU COVID-19 website for up-to-date details on how campus tours, facilities and events are being affected.