April 20, 2024

UMW, City Work Together to Prevent Spread of Virus

First-year UMW student Caliyah Ash stands outside the Fredericksburg Area Museum, wearing a mask. A Fredericksburg/UMW joint task force is working to help ensure students comply with the University’s COVID-19 health guidelines even off campus.

First-year UMW student Caliyah Ash stands outside the Fredericksburg Area Museum, wearing a mask. A Fredericksburg/UMW joint task force is working to help ensure students comply with the University’s COVID-19 health guidelines even off campus.

Longtime partners, the University of Mary Washington and the City of Fredericksburg, have teamed up once again. This time, in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus in the local community.

When in-person classes resumed at UMW on Sept. 14, after a three-week delay prompted by the pandemic, the University enforced a strict “MMDC” – monitor, mask, distance and clean – policy, with reminders and precautionary measures set up across campus. With large numbers of college students headed back to the Fredericksburg area, a COVID-19 Joint Task Force, comprised of city officials and university administrators, began meeting weekly in August, even before their return, to ensure guideline compliance both on and off campus.

“The open dialogue of this task force between the City and UMW is very helpful for tracking the efforts and effects of COVID-19 both on campus and elsewhere in the City,” said Fredericksburg Fire Chief Michael Jones. Read more.