On Sept. 12 the One Manhattan office sent an email to the Manhattan College community with updates regarding news that there were “no recorded positive test results on campus during the week of September 3-9.”

The email also included more information regarding the rate of infection, as well as adding a new guideline to testing policies.

Since Aug. 13, there have only been three positive cases out of the 1,628 tests done on campus. The email goes on to add that “one additional individual who was on campus also submitted a positive test result from an off-campus test site” and every individual has been following proper isolation protocol according to the CDC and Department of Health guidelines.

As of Thursday, Sept. 10, the current positive test rate on campus is 0.18% while the positive test rate for New York City as a whole was 0.7%. Additionally, the college ended its second week of random testing. The steering committee also used the email to introduce the “Manhattan College COVID-19 Dashboard,” a new way to access weekly updates of testing and those in quarantine.

The Manhattan College COVID-19 Dashboard includes information regarding the number of students in quarantine, the number of tests done on campus, and the number of positive individuals. However, there is an asterisk that states “*total number of positives is only reported here for individuals that are on-campus or have accessed on-campus resources. These individuals may or may not have used onsite testing.”

The email also included information on hygiene stations around campus. Due to “the unfortunate rampant theft of disposable face masks,” they will no longer be replenished in those stations. However, hand sanitizer buckets will continue to be replenished. Additionally, “the One Manhattan office will be conducting a survey of other areas on campus where we can make disposable face masks available to the Manhattan College community.”

Students and faculty members are still required to complete the COVID-19 Daily Symptom Tracker. However, the college has implemented new “orange passes” to the tracker. These passes “indicate that an individual is not in compliance with the College’s testing policies for campus access, or has chosen to work or attend classes remotely.” Orange passes bar students and employees from visiting campus until their COVID-19 test results have been submitted.

The committee included links to two virtual training sessions next. The email said that “these sessions will include information about how to guide employees and students during the semester.” The sessions will be held on Tuesday. Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. and Friday, Sept, 18. at 10 a.m.