PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University is asking students currently living in Pullman to stay put over the holiday weekend.
"If you're in Pullman, STAY in Pullman," reads a graphic on WSU's Facebook page.
Although the university is holding classes completely online this fall and asked students not to return to campus, university officials say many students returned to Pullman to live in off-campus apartments and houses.
Whitman County has seen a surge of coronavirus cases since some students returned to live in Pullman. Pullman now has the 3rd fastest growing outbreak of the coronavirus in the United States according to a New York Times data dashboard.
Whitman County reported 56 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, for a total of 736 cases since the pandemic started.
"In #Pullman? Do your part to help #CougsCancelCOVID by staying put this #LaborDay weekend. Stop the spread of #COVID19 by watching a new streaming series, catching up on homework, or finding a new social-distanced hiking spot around WSU Pullman!," A post on WSU's Facebook account reads.
The university developed the Cougs Cancel COVID campaign in response to the outbreak. The campaign is a "student-driven effort to promote practices which keep our community healthy: wearing masks, leaving 6 feet of physical distance, washing hands, knowing the symptoms, and staying home when sick," according to the campaign's website.
The National Guard recently arrived in Pullman last week to help test for the coronavirus. Whitman County asked that they work directly with Washington State University to curb the COVID-19 outbreak among students.
The University of Idaho recently made a similar request to its students, asking them not to leave Moscow over the holiday weekend.
In a memo sent to students, faculty and staff, UI President Scott Green said university leaders "strongly encourage students to remain in Moscow until the Fall Break, including over Labor Day." The university is asking those who do travel over Labor Day weekend to be tested for COVID-19 no sooner than six days after their return or at the first sign of symptoms.
