FILE -- Yale University students and others spend a fall afternoon on Yale University's Cross Campus in New Haven, Conn., in this Oct. 11, 2000 file photo. The university is planning to welcome students back to campus in August 2020, with public health protocols including required weekly testing for the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Bob Child, File)

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Yale University is planning to welcome students back to campus in August with public health protocols including required weekly testing for the coronavirus, the school announced Wednesday.

To reduce the number of people on campus, Yale is inviting only some undergraduate classes back each semester. Campus housing will be open to first-year students, juniors and seniors in the fall, while only sophomores, juniors and seniors can live on campus in the spring.

“With great care for everyone’s well-being, we must do all that we can to continue to create knowledge and educate the next generation,” Yale President Peter Salovey and Provost Scott Strobel wrote in a letter to the campus community.

All students returning to the private, Ivy League university will be required to sign an agreement to follow public health guidance and protocols including participation in contact tracing, receiving a flu vaccination, and a commitment to remain in Connecticut for the duration of the semester on campus ending Nov. 21.

Nearly all Yale College courses will be taught remotely so all can participate, university officials said. There also will be in-person instruction in some cases, such as certain discussion sections, lab and studio courses.

Many other universities around the country, citing concerns for the health of students and faculty, have developed plans to bring smaller numbers of students to campus or emphasize online instruction.

Dozens of others have announced plans to reopen with modifications to campus life.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or lead to death.

In other coronavirus news in Connecticut:

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LOW INFECTION RATE

Gov. Ned Lamont said Wednesday the percentage of Connecticut residents who test positive for COVID-19 is continuing to decline and that currently makes the state the third lowest in the nation for infection rates.

“The people testing positive was at seven-tenths of 1% two days ago and yesterday was half of 1%,” the Democrat said at an event in Manchester. “And that’s extraordinarily good news, for which I thank each and everyone of you for wearing the mask and doing what you can to hold down this evil spread.”

Lamont said he’s also pleased with the level of testing in the state, noting 20,000 tests were conducted two days ago. On Tuesday, he said roughly 10,000 tests were done. In total, nearly 476,000 tests have been conducted in the state.

“The good news is we’re doing more tests than we’ve ever done before and there are less people who are showing symptoms and signs of an infections and that’s important,” he said.

As of Wednesday, there have been more than 46,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Connecticut, an increase of 58 since Tuesday. Meanwhile, there have been 4,324 COVID-associated deaths, an increase of two since Tuesday. The number of hospitalizations climbed by two patients, for a total of 100.

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