Jamestown Community College P-J file photo

Jamestown Community College has no active cases of COVID-19 after beginning its fall semester on Aug. 24, but have five students in precautionary quarantine.

“We have five students under quarantine in total,” said Dr. Kirk Young, vice president of student affairs.

“Two of these are due to travel from other states, one is precautionary due to having been tested, one was presumed positive, but the test was negative, and one was in quarantine due to being in close contact with a positive case.”

State University of New York campuses are required to submit data every day to suny.edu/covid19-tracker, which listed 1,141 estimated total positive cases and 37,399 total tests to date as of Thursday afternoon.

“Each student and employee must respond to a health screening every day they are on campus,” Young said.

“We also have established check-in stations in every building on our campuses. In order for anyone to gain access to campus, they need to demonstrate that they have completed the screening and are safe to be on campus.”

Like many other academic institutions, JCC shifted its fall semester to a mix of online learning and in-person classes for some necessary subjects due to COVID-19.

Young credited the college’s cooperation with the Chautauqua County Health Department and SUNY leadership for the positive start to the school year.

“We recognize that we are in unprecedented times, dealing with issues and challenges we have never seen before,” Young said. “The SUNY leadership has been very active in providing support and guidance on dealing with these challenges. Chancellor (Jim) Malatras has been very active in addressing the issues that have arisen. He has been very supportive, proactive, and swift in his leadership during this pandemic. His emphasis has been to get out in front of issues before they become a problem.”

Issues related to social activities prohibited during the pandemic have arisen within the SUNY system in recent weeks, resulting in student suspensions at Fredonia and Geneseo. Similar situations have not arisen at JCC.

“It has gone rather well,” Young said. “Our courses are well under way. Students have responded very well to the health and safety guidelines we put in place over the summer.”

Meanwhile, the Chautauqua County Department of Health on Thursday announced 16 new cases of COVID-19, of which two include students who attend the State University of New York at Fredonia.

There remains 124 active cases for those who continue to recover under orders of local health officials as well as 485 people under quarantine/isolation orders by the public health director and being monitored. Not all of those being monitored are confirmed to have COVID-19 but have either shown symptoms, are awaiting results or have risk factors.

There are 235 people under domestic traveler quarantine for having arrived to Chautauqua County from a state listed on the New York state travel advisory. In addition, two people remain hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday.

To date, there have been 416 recoveries, 10 deaths, 550 total confirmed cases and 37,453 negative test results.