By Khi’Asiah Holland; The Whetstone

Students at Wesley College are being sent home the week of Thanksgiving break, finishing up the remaining three weeks of the semester online.

School officials believe this will help manage the risk of spreading COVID- 19.

“They are trying to do their best to prevent a COVID outbreak on campus, since students will be returning home while they are possibly disregarding the protective measures of returning to campus,” sophomore Alexis Reid said.

Some people do not consider returning students home early as an effective strategy because students and others remain surrounded by each other every day.

Others, however, believe it would have an effective impact.

“The Corona Virus Action Group (CAG) felt adjusting the semester made the most sense in limiting risk of when students are asked to go home and vacate the halls,” said Assistant Dean of Students and Director Christopher Willis.

This action will be effective in limiting students’ exposure to COVID-19.

“I don’t think anything would be different except the fact that we are going home on Thanksgiving break,” sophomore Brandon Durham said. “If we’re with friends at school or surrounded by others, there is still an exceedingly high chance of catching COVID-19 if we don’t follow the safety rules.”

Students returned home for Labor Day weekend.

“The difference is Thanksgiving break is usually when you’re with family that comes together from different areas and some of those areas could possibly have high cases of COVID- 19,” sophomore Leah Jones said.

There may be students from different states, so the risk factor will be high if students return after Thanksgiving break.

Sending students home early at Thanksgiving break could have an effective impact on the number of students who could possibly contract COVID- 19.

“This may be helpful because, keeping students home in case they contract COVID, they wouldn’t spread the virus to their peers, and it gives the college campus more time to sanitize,” Reid said.

If students or a faculty member contract COVID or are around someone who has it they will have enough time to quarantine before returning to school next semester.

“I have seen students, faculty and staff doing a great job on campus of wearing masks, sanitizing, and respecting social distancing guidelines this is simply another way we can take precautions” piano teacher Erin Grier said.