Kaitlin McKinley Becker and Chris Lisinski:

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst is operating at a high COVID risk level as cases of the coronavirus continue to surge on campus. That means that the campus is effectively locked down, and a number of restrictions have been placed on students, including limiting who can take walks.

A directive for students to self-sequester has been activated at the encouragement of state public health officials to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, according to the school’s website. It expects everyone’s cooperation.

For the foreseeable future, all UMass Amherst classes will take place remotely, and students in dormitories and off-campus housing are instructed not to leave their residences except for meals, COVID testing twice per week and medical appointments.