West Point preps for graduation, some in class test positive

More than 15 members of West Point's graduating class tested positive for the coronavirus upon their return to the the U.S. Military Academy, which is preparing to host President Donald Trump for an unusual graduation ceremony that has been criticized as too risky during a pandemic.

Trump's announcement in April that he would give the commencement address at the historic academy was criticized as a political move. But Army officials said graduates needed to return before before beginning their careers as officers anyway, so the logistically daunting task of preparing for the June 13 ceremony is underway.

“At some point, they had to come back to campus,” academy spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Ophardt said Wednesday. “And it was like, ‘If they have to come back, how do we protect the campus and the surrounding community and protect them?’”

The roughly 1,100 class members preparing to graduate returned to campus over five days last week, with most of them driving and others flying commercially. Arrivals were immediately tested for the virus.

Ophardt said 1.5% tested positive, which works out to about 17 people, and none showed symptoms. Those who tested positive are going through 10 days of isolation in a designated barracks, before four more days of slightly less strict quarantine. They have internet access in their rooms and can go outside in set areas to read or perform physical training, Ophardt said.

The rest of the class has been divided into four groups of roughly 275, and their health is being monitored.

The groups do not intermingle with each other. For instance, the mess hall takes in two groups at a time, and they eat in different parts of the hall, Ophardt said.

“They had to turn in their military equipment, which they’re still doing now....