Berea College is shutting down all spring semester classes by the end of this week and urging students to plan on returning home by March 14th.
College administrators say, after careful analysis, they've concluded that it will "not be possible to adequately assure student and employee safety" were a case of COVID-19 to be identified on campus.
As a result, the college is cancelling all instructional activities effective at the end of the day Friday and telling students to fully vacate residence halls. The school is providing accommodations for students who face additional hardships getting home.
Operations on campus will not shut down, however. Staff are expected to continue fulfilling their job duties until further notice from their vice president.
The cancellation marks the most drastic measure taken by a school system yet in Kentucky in reaction to the virus outbreak. More than 30 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the state -- with 6 testing positive, as of Tuesday afternoon.
