U of M students set to move back into dorms Tuesday

Starting Tuesday, the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus will be tested as student start moving in to dorms.

For months, school officials have been planning ways to keep students safe from a COVID-19 outbreak and already, schools across the country have had to change plans after the virus exploded on campuses.

Minnesota college, university leaders discuss campus reopening and COVID-19 preparedness

Students may be back in the dorms Tuesday, but there will be a lot of restrictions, at least for the beginning of the semester.

The move-in date was delayed two weeks to give university leaders extra time to prepare.

U of M prepares for start of new school year

This is all part of a four-step plan the school created.

For the first 10 days, students can only leave their dorms for work, class or to eat, among other specific reasons.

If that effort proves successful, restrictions will be lifted, but there will be a 9 p.m. curfew.

During step three, the curfew will be pushed back to midnight.

The final phase lifts all curfews, but students will still be asked to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

U of M students in Duluth returned to campus on September 9 and Rochester students move back in this Friday.

The Minnesota Department of Health says three universities and colleges in the state have had over 100 cases in the past two weeks and that most of the schools are tracking and keeping a close eye on those numbers.

"I think it’s important to keep in mind there are 200 colleges and universities in Minnesota and 65 had at least one case, but it’s a very small number that have had multiple cases," MDH Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann said. ‘Sso I think we anticipated that we would see cases associated with students going back to colleges and universities, I think we were hoping we might not see as many as we have but we have."

Health officials say although some of the schools are seeing a higher number in COVID-19 cases, it doesn’t necessarily mean the transmission happened on campus.

MDH is working closely with neighboring states for guidance.