SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — After limiting certain in-person classes due to COVID-19 case rates in January, San Diego State is planning to welcome back some students and staff in March.
Starting March 1, the college will welcome back some students and staff for a limited number of classes, similar to the fall semester. The college had limited the number of classes offered on campus at the start of the semester because of the severity of the pandemic in January.
Of the 32,760 students enrolled in the spring semester, 2,777 students are enrolled in in-person instruction, according to SDSU. Those in-person classes include 116 classes or about 4% of all courses, the school added.
The move is part of the university's SDSU Flex plan, which aims to slowly reintroduce students to campus as coronavirus case rates improve. The plan also continues to give students flexibility in participating in virtual or in-person classes during the spring semester.
SDSU says due to expanded vaccine eligibility and current case rates, some students and staff can be allowed back safely.
"Thankfully, more members of our campus community are gaining access to the COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the virus, and SDSU is continuing its surveillance testing program. These are important and critical efforts to keep individuals and our communities safe," a school update said.
Students and staff on campus will continue to be required to wear face coverings, physically distance, and be tested for COVID-19 if taking classes in-person or living on-campus.
Since the spring semester started on Jan. 20, the school has reported 85 positive COVID-19 cases in students living in on-campus housing and 25 faculty and staff members with on-campus contact.
As more students are set to return to campus, the county is expanding COVID-19 eligibility to teachers, law enforcement, and food workers starting Saturday. San Diego State was approved to begin vaccinating eligible teachers and students earlier this month.