Coronavirus Roundup: Most CSU Classes to Remain Online Through Spring 2021
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The latest developments around the region related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as of Saturday afternoon.
Most California State University classes will continue to be held online for the spring term that begins in January 2021, with fewer students living on campus than normal, Chancellor Timothy P. White said Thursday, in a letter to the 23-campus community.
"We know far more about (COVID-19) now than we did back in May," White said. "The virus continues to spread. There is no vaccine and there likely will not be one widely available any time soon."
In May, CSU became the first university system in the country to announce that most classes would be held online to limit the coronavirus spread. In July, White told a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee that he anticipated CSU classes remaining virtual for the entire 2020-21 academic year. His announcement on Thursday makes him the first university leader in California to limit nearly all courses to online for the spring term.
Nationally, he's among the university leaders to make such an early decision which affects the nation's largest public university system of about 500,000 students and staff.
A spokesperson for the 10-campus University of California system said it does not have an update for 2021.
As for the 116 California community colleges, Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley has said they need to plan to continue to deliver most instruction in the online setting for the spring, said Paul Feist, the college's spokesperson.
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As of 3:30 p.m. Saturday, officials have confirmed the following number of cases around the greater Bay Area region:
Alameda County: County site not updated Saturday (19,819 cases, 320 deaths as of Friday) -- Totals include Berkeley Health Department data.
Contra Costa County: 15,203 cases, 191 deaths (15,058 cases, 189 deaths as of Friday)
Marin County: 6,429 cases, 99 deaths (6,407 cases, 99 deaths on Friday) (Totals include San Quentin State Prison) Monterey County: 8,761 cases, 64 deaths (8,738 cases, 62 deaths as of Thursday)
Napa County: 1,543 cases, 13 deaths (1,540 cases, 13 deaths as of Friday)
San Francisco County: 10,263 cases, 90 deaths (10,188 cases, 89 deaths as of Friday)
San Mateo County: 9,077 cases, 139 deaths (8,966 cases, 139 deaths as of Friday)
Santa Clara County: (County site not updated Saturday) (19,143 cases, 276 deaths as of Friday)
Santa Cruz County: 2,043 cases, 7 deaths (2,021 cases, 7 deaths as of Friday)
Solano County: (County site not updated Saturday) (5,820 cases, 48 deaths as of Friday)
Sonoma County: 6,623 cases, 108 deaths (6,561 cases, 105 deaths as of Friday)
Statewide: 750,298 cases, 14,251 deaths (746,191 cases, 14,089 deaths as of Friday)
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