Thirteen hostellers and two St Stephen’s College officials tested positive for Covid on Friday, following a ‘chapel trip’ by 40 students to Dalhousie. At night, the director of St Stephen’s said that the “inner perimeter” of the university was “off limits to everyone.”
“Thirteen resident students have tested positive for Covid this morning. The following measures will take effect immediately and until further notice to ensure everyone’s safety. The Dean’s Office has already taken the necessary and strict measures to guarantee the isolation and social distancing of all residents with the usual Covid protocols, ”said Director John Varghese.
“The inner perimeter of the university is off limits for everyone, unless the director gives a specific authorization according to each case. Those with relevant and regular work can access the outer perimeter of the College after due process at the security desk. Professors who are scheduled to come to the University can postpone their arrival until a notification informs them of an improvement in the situation, ”he said.
Sources said Dean / Chaplain Monodeep Daniel and Mess Steward / Security Officer Samuel Shekhar had brought 40 students, 25 of whom are from the shelter, to Dalhousie and returned on March 31. “This Chapel trip is when the chaplain and others take a trip out of Delhi… It happens every year. But even though the cases increased, they decided to take such a large group, ”said a source.
The sources said the hoteliers have been told that food will be provided at their doorstep and that no orders or deliveries will be allowed from now on.
When contacted, Daniel said that he and Shekhar were among those who tested positive, but asked that further inquiries be directed to Associate Dean Chinkhanlun Guite. Shekhar said, “You shouldn’t be calling” and disconnected the call. Guite asked that inquiries be directed to Varghese. While Varghese confirmed that 13 residents had tested positive, he did not respond to questions about why the trip was made during the pandemic.
Some questioned the timing of the trip and the opening of the shelters and criticized the administration for not officially releasing the information immediately.
“More than 200 students have been allowed to return to the hostel in recent months, most of them are freshmen and sophomores, although classes for them are supposed to be online. Permission was taken from the University of Delhi and the state government for this …? “Nandita Narain, a member of the Governing Body, wrote to Varghese on Friday.
Varghese responded to Narain’s email late at night and said the trip had been planned after receiving the consent of the students’ families and that it was authorized by him. He said he will answer the other questions when he has “a little more time.”
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