After Pitt experienced an increase in COVID-19 cases following large St. Patrick’s Day parties, Dr. John Williams presented a more optimistic picture of Pitt’s pandemic outlook at Thursday afternoon’s Senate Council meeting.

Amid rising COVID-19 case numbers, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said Pitt will use similar techniques from the fall to slow the spread of the virus in the spring such as the shelter-in-place period as well as “pods” to limit social interaction.

Pitt will offer students at-home COVID-19 tests after they go home for Thanksgiving break, according to Dr. John Williams, the head of Pitt’s COVID-19 Medical Response Office.

In Pitt’s quarantine housing, students described lax rules and little oversight, allowing them to skirt the University’s physical distancing rules. One student said they went on walks outside, and others in the housing had visitors, even whole families.

Pitt officials would not commit on Thursday to a specific or estimated date for when fall classes will move from online only to in person.