UAlbany says returning students will be given more time to provide a negative Covid test, school officials said Tuesday. The semester was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, January 19th, instead it will start on Monday, January 24th.

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In a statement, the University says a they want their students to have more time to get tested.

Postponing the start of the spring semester will afford our students more time to secure a negative COVID-19 test as well as receive their booster, when eligible.

Students must provide proof of a negative test in order to return to campus. The University says students may begin their return to residence halls on Friday, January 21st at 9am. Delaying the semester is not expected to impact the dates set for spring break or commencement ceremonies scheudled for May.

The omicron variant has lead to a surge in cases across the US, with the Capital Region not being spared from the increase. However, on Tuesday, Governor Kathy Hochul says she believes the spike in cases may be at its crest in New York State. On Tuesday the Governor said the positivity rate statewide is at 18.6%, which is still very high but lower than the peak of 23% last week:

We are not at the end, but I want to say that this is, to me, a glimmer of hope. A glimmer of hope in a time when we desperately need that.

Hochul also said while hospitalizations are up statewide, the rate of increase has been slowing. There are currently 12,540 people in the hospital with the virus.

[Spectrum News 1] [NewsChannel 13]

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