Penn's undergraduate COVID-19 case count remained low in the final two weeks of the semester, with a combined total of 13 cases.
A total of nine undergraduate students tested positive between April 25 and May 1, marking a semester low at the time. The following week — from May 2 through May 8 — only four undergraduate students tested positive, less than 0.10% of students who were tested for COVID-19. The undergraduate case count has remained at or near a semester low for the final five weeks of the semester.
Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé told The Daily Pennsylvanian on May 4 that he was reassured by the low case counts to end the semester and encouraged students to continue to follow public health guidelines over the summer months.
Penn's spring semester testing program ended on May 15, but the University will continue to provide COVID-19 testing for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students as well as faculty and staff who remain in Philadelphia and will be on campus frequently beginning on May 17.
Penn community members are still required to wear a mask, wash their hands, and socially distance, even if they are fully vaccinated, as much of the Penn community remains unvaccinated. These guidelines have been in place for the entirety of the spring semester and continue to remain in place for the time being.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced earlier this week that fully vaccinated people could stop wearing masks outdoors and indoors.
"We acknowledge that this health guidance may differ from that provided at a state and federal level, but this guidance is based on evidence specific to our Penn population and surrounding communities," the Student COVID-19 FAQ page reads.
On April 22, Penn President Amy Gutmann, Provost Wendell Pritchett, and Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli wrote in an email to the Penn community that they expected that masks will still be required in many locations on campus and COVID-19 testing may still be mandatory during the fall semester.
They wrote that further details on the University's fall plans will be provided later in the summer.
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