COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — More than 150 students at Colorado College are being quarantined for the next two weeks after one tested positive for the COVID-19 over the weekend.
“At first I was like, shocked, but after a little while it sunk in like, 'Wow, that’s 14 days in one room,'” said Colorado College freshman Andrew Kaelin.
Kaelin and Oliver Kendall only met Saturday. On Sunday, these roommates found out they will be spending nearly every minute of the next two weeks with each other. Students are allowed to only leave the room for laundry, bathroom and water. Food for the day is delivered to the room.
“It’s a good way to get to know someone,” Kendall said.
Before moving in, all students were required to take a COVID-19 test and were asked to isolate in their dorm rooms until the results came back.
Brian Young, with Colorado College, said the student who tested positive went into the hallway of the dorm rather than staying in the room.
“Immediately, as we isolated, the individual did our contact trace, realized, unfortunately, (that they) didn’t follow the guidelines we were after,” Young said.
Neither Young or the El Paso County Health Department could say exactly how many came in contact with the student. Whatever the number was, it was enough to lock down Loomis Hall and the 155 first-year students living there.
“All of our students are doing fine. No one is symptomatic,” Young told KMGH.
Young said anyone showing even one symptom will be tested immediately. Colorado College is also providing students the ability to speak to a mental health expert as needed. Young says students will be allowed to get some fresh air with supervision.
This story was originally published by Gary Brode at KMGH.