Member of Williams Community — Now in Another State — Tests Positive for COVID-19

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williams College on Friday notified its community that a member of the college community who was on campus as recently as Sunday has tested positive for COVID-19.
 
The person, who was not named, is self-isolating at home in another state, the email said.
 
"This is the first confirmed case within the Williams community," the email read. "We are notifying you all because this person was on campus from Saturday, March 14, through Sunday, March 15, and interacted with people, especially students, during that time.
 
"Out of an abundance of caution, we are notifying all of you and using this moment to remind everyone of the need to maintain such distancing at all times, and to practice thorough hygiene."
 
The college's medical director, Deborah Flynn, signed the letter along with Dean of the College Marlene Sandstrom and Vice President for Campus Life Steve Klass.
 
They said the college is working with the infected person to create a list of people they contacted while on campus. The person in question "has reached out to many of those people already, and we will get in touch directly," the college's email read.
 
Last week, the college announced that it was sending its students home for the duration of the spring semester and moving to an online learning model. The last day students were allowed on campus was March 17. The overwhelming majority of Williams College students live in college-owned housing.
 
"Williams has been preparing for the likelihood that this rapidly spreading virus would eventually affect our community, and we are now taking measures in accordance with our plan and with expert public health advice," Friday's email read. "Even so, we recognize that this news will cause concern. We assure you that we are taking the necessary steps, and we thank you all for doing your part by keeping to a strict regimen of social distancing, limited interaction and careful hygiene."

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Letter: Vote for Someone Other Than Trump

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

I urge my Republican friends to vote for someone other than Donald Trump in November. His rallies are getting embarrassingly sparse and his speeches more hostile and confused. He's looking desperately for money, now selling poor-quality gold sneakers for $399. While Trump's online fans embrace him more tightly, more and more of the people who actually worked with Trump have broken with him, often issuing statements denouncing his motives, intellect, and patriotism.

Mike Pence is the most recent, but the list now includes William Barr, former attorney general (who compared him to a 9-year-old); former NSC Chairs Bolton and McMaster; former Defense Secretaries Mattis and Esper; former Chiefs of Staff Kelly and Mulvaney; former Secretary of State Tillerson; former Homeland Security chief Bossert; and former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, who referred to Trump as a "wannabe dictator." This level of rejection by former colleagues is unprecedented in American politics.

Are these people just cozying up to the Establishment "Uniparty," as his fans would have it? No. Most of them are retired from politics. It's just that they see the danger most clearly. General Milley is right. Trump's most constant refrain is his desire to hurt his critics, including traditional conservatives. Although Liz Cheney lost her Wyoming seat in Congress, he now wants her jailed for investigating him.

This man should not be president of the USA.

Jim Mahon
Williamstown, Mass.

 

 

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