Updates

In a letter to the campus community, Dean of Students Byron Hughes and Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson write, "We hope that students and community members will still find ways to gather safely – whether that is in their pod, enjoying outdoor recreational activities in smaller groups, or attending some of the many events Virginia Tech is offering that follow current safety guidelines."

The team's candidate vaccines take an unusual approach in that they target a part of the spike protein of the virus, the “viral fusion peptide,” that is highly universal among coronaviruses.

The New River Health District will need at least 50,000 vaccines to cover its higher education population throughout the region.

Efforts to reduce the on-campus population of students and employees support the overall public health goal of limiting the potential spread of the virus. The reduced on-campus population reduces the public health risk for the entire community – including those working on campus and working remotely.

We have received many questions from employees about their options should the coronavirus spread more broadly across Virginia, especially with Friday’s announcement from Gov. Ralph Northam ordering all K-12 schools in the commonwealth to close for a minimum of two weeks.

It’s in times like these past few days that the honor of being a Hokie feels especially amplified. With uncertainty and anxiety coming from every direction, the spirit of generosity from our students and their families has been humbling.