West Virginia University Starbucks location closes for second time this semester after COVID-19 exposure

A release states that anyone who visited the Starbucks location should self-monitor for symptoms, but health experts say potential exposure in this environment was minimal. The Starbucks plans to reopen Thursday.

The location reopened last Friday after a prior COVID-19 exposure was reported on Sept. 2.

“We know that we’ll identify additional positive cases as we work to perform targeted testing of certain high-risk groups on campus,” said Dr. Carmen Burrell, medical director of Urgent Care and Student Health Services, shortly after the Sept. 2 exposure. “However, the rate and spread of infection can be minimized if individuals will quarantine until test results are received, wear a mask and stay physically distanced as much as possible.”

Hatfields at the Mountainlair temporarily closed after a COVID-19 exposure Sept. 20 while Hugh Baby’s at the Evansdale location is set to reopen Thursday after its own COVID-19 exposure.

The latest numbers from the WVU COVID-19 online dashboard show that for Sept. 21, there were 56 students tested, with two positive results. There were also two self-reported cases to WVU from students.

There are 413 students in quarantine who have been in contact with someone who tested positive and are thus avoiding contact with others for 14 days. That number is down from 564, which was reported Sunday.

As of Monday, there were 185 students in isolation, meaning they took a COVID-19 test and are avoiding contact for 10 days. That figure was down from 203 on Sunday.