Dear Mason Patriots,
On the evening of March 19, George Mason University was made aware that a student who attended classes in Arlington tested positive for coronavirus and is receiving treatment at a local hospital. While this student is undergoing treatment, please be considerate of the student’s privacy and wellbeing. We all wish the student a quick recovery and the university is working to provide the student with assistance and support.
An investigation is being conducted by the local health department to determine if anyone else within our community should take additional precautions such as self-isolation or quarantine. The student does not reside on campus, and to our knowledge, the last time that this student was on the Arlington campus was on March 4.
The university has taken aggressive steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus within the Mason community by moving classes to an online format, cancelling events, and promoting telework whenever possible. Given these precautions and what we know about the situation, the risk of exposure to other students, faculty, and staff who visited the Arlington campus remains low.
We encourage anyone that has concerns about potential exposure to await official guidance from the health department or university before taking additional precautions. Individuals who were at risk of exposure will be contacted directly and provided specific guidance. The actions the university is taking are consistent with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Virginia Department of Health guidelines, but we understand that this situation may cause some anxiety in our community.
If you have individual concerns about the university’s response, please contact safety@gmu.edu. At this time, we continue to stress the importance of general precautions; wash your hands, practice good hygiene, monitor yourself for illnesses, remain home if you are sick, and continue to practice social distancing. If you feel ill or have concerns about your health, please contact your healthcare provider.
For more information about coronavirus, please visit www.gmu.edu/coronavirus.
David Farris, PhD
Executive Director, Safety & Emergency Management
Lisa Park, MD, MPH
Executive Director, Student Health Services