No fall break at USC

COLUMBIA (AP) - One of South Carolina's major universities has a back-to-campus plan that cancels fall break next semester and ends in-person classes before Thanksgiving to avoid getting caught in a second wave of coronavirus infections.

The University of South Carolina said that by not including the typical four-day October break, students won't be as likely to travel and potentially bring viruses back with them from faraway places.

The decision to no longer have classes meet in person after Thanksgiving and have the final days of the semester and exams online is in anticipation of a second wave of coronavirus cases as the weather turns colder, university president Bob Caslen said Sunday in an open letter to the campus.

"Our best current modelling predicts a spike in cases of COVID-19 at the beginning of December, which also will likely coincide with traditional flu season," Caslen said.

The fall semester at the University of South Carolina's Columbia campus starts Aug. 20, with remote final exams from Dec. 7-14.

Clemson University has not announced its fall semester plans.