Coronavirus updates: University suspends students over growing cluster of cases

The State University of New York at Oneonta will send all of its on-campus students home and suspend all in-person classes and activities for the rest of the fall semester, the school announced on Thursday.

The college was in the midst of its two-week “pause” period, which began Aug. 30, where the focus was on testing and limiting the spread of the coronavirus.

An increase in confirmed cases -- 389 since the start of the semester on Aug. 24 -- caused the college to make the determination to cease in-person learning.

"While this is sudden news and something no one wanted, the risk to our campus and Oneonta community is too great. I know the vast majority of our students have been diligent in protecting our campus since day one," president of the school, Barbara Jean Morris, said in a statement. "We committed to do everything we could to mitigate this situation, and today, that means ending residential housing for this semester."

Students who have tested negative will be asked to leave on-campus housing by next Monday. Those who wish to remain on campus will be given an opportunity to request permission to stay.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during an appearance on NBC's Today Show on Wednesday that sending students home after an outbreak is the "worst thing you could do."

"Keep them at the university in a place that's sequestered enough from the other students, but don't have them go home because they could be spreading it in their home state," he said.

Responding to claims that a vaccine could be ready by the end of October, Dr. Anthony Fauci would not commit to a specific date, calling any projection of when it would be available a "guesstimate."

"If you look at the projections of the enrollment and the kinds of things you'll need to get a decision about whether a vaccine is safe and effective, most of us project that that's going to be by November and December, by the end of the year," Fauci told CNN in an interview on Thursday.

When asked about the possibility of a vaccine being ready by October, Fauci called it "unlikely, not impossible."

Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he doesn't think Americans should be concerned that politics will influence when a vaccine would be approved for the public.

"The FDA has been very explicit that they are going to make a decision based on the data as it comes in," he said.

Fauci says once approved, he would not hesitate to take a coronavirus vaccine.

"A vaccine would not be approved for the American public unless it was both indeed safe and effective," he said.

ABC News' Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.

Malls in New York City can reopen at 50% capacity on Sept. 9, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday.

The malls must have enhanced filtration systems and additional staff will be required to help control foot traffic.

There will still be no indoor dining in the malls, Cuomo said. The governor would not commit to when indoor dining would resume in New York City.

"My opinion is restaurants should open. The question is how?" he said.

Casinos in the state have also been authorized to reopen on Sept. 9 at 25% capacity -- they must also have a filtration system in place and occupants must follow social distancing guidelines.

Cuomo was also asked about a letter the CDC sent to states telling them to prepare for a vaccine by Nov. 1. The governor said the state's Department of Health would review all the protocols and research before recommending any New Yorkers take a vaccine.

"The President says he's going to have a vaccine -- the CDC is talking about a vaccine in early November. How convenient. It's going to be an Election Day miracle," Cuomo said.

Temple University announced on Thursday it will now have virtual learning for the entire fall semester after a rise in cases among students at the school.

"In light of the recent increase in positive test results among our students, and after consultation with our own healthcare professionals and leaders at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, we have concluded that the data indicate it is time to pivot to primarily online education," university President Richard Englert said in a statement.

Only "essential in-person teaching" at the university's domestic campuses will continue for the rest of the fall semester -- this applies only to courses where "educational objectives" cannot be reached without some in-person instruction.

The university estimated that 95% of classes would become virtual.

Any student that is using university housing and chooses to leave by Sept. 13 will be given a full refund for housing and meal plan charges for the semester. Students who wish to remain in university housing may do so, the school said.