PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — At least two Philadelphia universities have announced they will use online classes for the 2022 spring semester's first week or longer due to the current spike in COVID-19 cases. Four other major universities in the city are instituting testing or booster protocols.
Temple President Dr. Jason Wingard announced that because of a "significant increase of the COVID-19 omicron variant throughout the region and the country," Temple will hold virtual classes on Jan. 3-21.
He said essential employees will return to campus starting on Jan. 3. Residence halls will open on Jan. 8, but students must have COVID-19 tests within 24 hours of arrival.
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Temple said the university will soon determine its next steps, as driven by public health guidance and City of Philadelphia requirements.
Drexel University leaders announced Tuesday the first week of the winter quarter, starting Jan. 3, will be held in a remote format. Some winter and spring programs have been modified.
There are specific differences for programs including the Colleges of Medicine, Education, Law, and Nursing and Health Professions.
The university said it will reassess for classes on Jan. 10 and later, with a current goal of returning in person by that date.
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All eligible students, faculty, and staff at Drexel must now get a COVID-19 booster as well.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the University of Pennsylvania was requiring eligible students, faculty, staff and post-docs to get their COVID-19 booster by Jan. 31. Saint Joseph's University was also requiring COVID-19 boosters for faculty, staff and students if eligible.
Similarly, La Salle is asking all eligible university community members to get a booster shot. Anyone who will live, learn or work on the campus will be required to take a COVID-19 test as well for the start of the spring semester.
Villanova is also requiring students and faculty to be tested on Jan. 6-7 if involved with in-person classes.
