SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras announced Tuesday that all SUNY students must test negative for COVID-19 before leaving campus for Thanksgiving break.

This includes all students who have at least one class on campus, utilize campus facilities or work on campus. Students will be tested within 10 days before leaving campus.

After students leave for Thanksgiving break, the rest of the semester will be fully remote. By making sure students test negative before they leave for the semester, this will prevent the community spread of COVID-19 as students return to their hometowns.

Faculty and staff will also be tested.

SUNY Brockport senior Desyre Lee thinks the testing is a good idea.

“It’s not a bad idea to get tested because I’d rather not give my family I might be seeing coronavirus if I could possibly have it,” Lee said.

Other students, including junior Zach Olsen, agree.

“It’s the right thing to do, as much as I don’t want to, it’s the right thing just to be safe for our families and friends. Especially if kids are traveling home to places that don’t have any cases,” Olsen said.

Olsen said he and his roommates aren’t as worried about COVID-19 in Brockport due to the low number of cases. They understand why other schools might be more worried.

SUNY Brockport will utilize pool testing in order to test all students starting Nov. 13. You can track SUNY COVID-19 cases here.