Small COVID Outbreak Closes Paine College

Responding to a minor COVID-19 outbreak, Paine College in Augusta, Ga., closed its campus to the public Monday and mandated that its roughly 300 students get tested for the coronavirus Tuesday, The Augusta Chronicle reported.

“Although the number of COVID cases is small in comparison to the college’s student body of 309, the priority is to minimize the potential spread of the virus,” the private historically Black Methodist college said in a statement Tuesday.

Classes temporarily moved online. Only staff required for essential duties were allowed on campus; the rest were instructed to work remotely.

The college noted that regular activities “will resume shortly.”