COVID-19 Update: College notified of positive test result

Dear Kenyon College community,

Earlier today the College was notified of a second positive COVID test result. This will be reflected in our dashboard of data when it is next refreshed. 

While we do not plan to notify our community of every instance of a positive test result, we felt it important to communicate this instance because it is an unusual case and demonstrates some of the complexities of testing. It is important to remember that not every positive test reflects a new case of COVID, nor is every Kenyon test administered on campus or even in Knox County. We are unable to provide details on this or any individual test/case for reasons of privacy, but we can confirm that there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on campus. We are following the guidance of Knox Public Health in all aspects of our reporting and response.

While our campus community has so far kept COVID presence to a minimum, we must always be vigilant in our efforts to mitigate transmission. Please continue your good work of wearing face coverings, maintaining physical distancing, keeping your gatherings small, washing your hands and monitoring your symptoms daily. All of these efforts, layered with the College’s robust testing program, can help keep our campus community safe and healthy. 

Sincerely, 

Chris Smith, MPH
Director, Cox Health and Counseling Center