Pitt Limits Spring Sports Attendance To Families And 'Select Guests'
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pitt's spring sports attendance will be limited to the families of athletes and staff, as well as "select guests" for the rest of the season.
Pitt Athletics made the announcement Thursday morning, saying they look forward to the "hopeful resumption of traditional operations and fan accommodations in the fall."
It comes after the university moved into the "elevated risk posture" Wednesday night and students were told shelter in place. Positive cases among students are increasing, and with the U.K. variant present on campus, health leaders are worried the trend will continue.
According to the university, an average of around eight students on its Oakland campus are testing positive for COVID-19 per day, and the COVID-19 variant is among the positive results.
The university has growing concerns about newly released data on its COVID-19 dashboard.
While case numbers remain low on its regional campuses, they are soaring on the main campus. Twenty-nine students have tested positive, 67 are being isolated and one staff or faculty member has also tested positive there all within the past 14 days. Infections have spread through 13 residence halls.
Pitt says the shelter-in-place means students can leave the house to attend in-person classes and for essentials. Group work and student activities should be held virtually, and campus dining will be take-out only. Residence hall lounges, rec rooms and kitchens are also being closed.
The shelter-in-place period will end once infections level off to a safer number, the university said.
