BYU-Idaho encourages students to follow COVID-19 guidelines this winter

BYU-Idaho encouraged students to remain vigilant about the pandemic in an official notice sent out Friday.

The notice referenced last week’s devotional, where President Henry J. Eyring spoke about how students can be good Samaritans by following COVID-19 guidelines, including mandatory face coverings inside all campus buildings and physical distancing of 6 feet or more. Sunday meetings are not exempt from the restrictions.

BYU-I is working with Eastern Idaho Public Health to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Rexburg. Since early last year, BYU-I and Eastern Idaho Public Health have tested hundreds of people and perform contact tracing on those who may have been affected.

After a spike in cases last fall, the current total number of active cases at BYU-I has fallen dramatically, partly due to compliance with COVID-19 guidelines.

BYU-I's active cases dashboard shows how active cases have fallen since last fall. Photo credit: BYU-Idaho

“Everyone wears masks inside,” said William Bikman, a senior studying horticulture.

The notice also informed students of ways to participate in safe activities. Sign-up links were included for campus-supported home evening activities and events, along with links to COVID-19 information and wellness services. These links can be found on BYU-I’s Coronavirus Updates web page under Winter Semester Updates.

JJ Wise, a sophomore studying data science, laughed when asked about his experience with campus activities during COVID-19.

“Not too bad,” said Wise. “I’d give them a seven out of 10.”