The surge in COVID-19 cases is forcing Ohio State University and area schools districts to make changes.
Following the "stay at home" advisory from the city of Columbus, Ohio State announced that classes would move online starting Friday at 6 p.m.
In-person classes were slated to end next week, and the university was already telling students to leave campus early for winter break if possible. Final exams for the fall semester will be conducted virtually.
Some in-person learning will be allowed to continue for clinical programs conducted under approved safety protocols as well as laboratory, studio and performance classes.
On-campus facilities, including dining halls, recreational facilities and the Ohio Union, will close by 9:30 p.m. each night to comply with the state's 10 p.m. curfew, which took effect Thursday.
The university is also telling all employees who are able to work remotely to do so.
Columbus City Schools and South-Western City Schools are suspending all athletics and other extracurricular activities at least through mid-December to limit the spread of coronavirus. Hilliard City Schools are pausing extracurricular activities through the end of November.
Columbus is also returning career technical programs at Columbus Downtown High School and Fort Hayes Career Center to an online model. Those students could return to mix of in-person and virtual learning Jan. 4 if the city and county health advisory, which ends Dec. 18, is not extended.
Columbus Schools will suspend its daily meal distribution offering Monday. The district will still offer five-day meal packs to all children 18 and younger from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and from 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays.
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