North Carolina will shift to full-time remote learning on Wednesday after announcing 177 students are in isolation and another 349 are in quarantine because of the coronavirus.
At least for right now, the change does not impact how North Carolina football prepares for the upcoming season. The Tar Heels open the season Sept. 12 against Syracuse.
"Our student-athletes will continue to attend online classes, and may choose to remain in their current on- and off-campus residences," North Carolina said in a statement. "Workouts and practices will continue under the standards set by our University, health officials and department. We still are expecting to play this fall, and we will continue to evaluate the situation in coordination with the University, the ACC, state and local officials, and health officials. The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, and community remains our priority."
The return of the student body to campus remains one of the biggest questions about whether it is safe to play this fall season in conferences that are attempting to do so. North Carolina welcomed back the student body one week ago. According to the school, the COVID-19 positivity rate jumped from 2.8 percent to 13.6 percent at Campus Health between Aug. 10-16.
"As much as we believe we have worked diligently to help create a healthy and safe campus living and learning environment, the current data presents an untenable situation," UNC chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and executive vice chancellor Robert Blouin wrote in a letter to the community. "As we have always said, the health and safety of our campus community are paramount, and we will continue to modify and adapt our plan when necessary."
The university said it expects the majority of undergraduate residential students to change their housing plans for the fall, and is working on ways to "further achieve de-densification" of its residential halls. Residents with hardships, international students and student-athletes have the option to remain.
In July, the football team had to pause workouts for a week after 37 positive tests across the athletic department. But coach Mack Brown said last week there were zero positives after the most recent round of testing.
"It feels like football -- if you do what you're supposed to do -- is not going to be a problem," Brown said last week. "It's outside. We have created a bubble since early, and the guys are understanding if you wear a mask, if you social distance, if you wash your hands, the risk is low, and they're doing a great job of that.
"I've also told the players if we found out or heard you were someplace you shouldn't be, we have to quarantine you or ask you to leave the team because you can't be around us if you're not going to be disciplined enough to understand this is about your academics and football for the next three months, and that's it. Social life is not part of who any of us are right now."