As COVID-19 Cases Rise, Gettysburg College Puts All Students On Lockdown

After a steady rise in coronavirus cases, Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania has restricted students to their dormitories and moved all classes online in a sweeping quarantine that began Tuesday and will last at least through the end of the week.

Gettysburg, which has more than 2,000 students enrolled, is believed to be the first U.S. college to enact such a measure.

Under the current restrictions, students at the private, liberal arts school can leave their residences only to pick up food from designated college dining facilities, use the bathroom, go to a scheduled appointment for COVID-19 testing or talk to a counselor.

Students aren't allowed to leave their rooms for things like doing laundry, exercising or taking out the trash. However, students with off-campus jobs are still able to go to those jobs, according to Gettysburg's website.

All classes and labs are being taught remotely, and any students who don't comply with the restrictions will be sent home.

The school has not yet responded to an inquiry from NPR about when the restrictions might be lifted and how many students might have violated the lockdown since it began earlier this week.