Amherst — In an email sent out to the campus community on Sept. 9, Co-Directors of the Public Health Promotion Center, Ann Becker and Jeffery Hescock, announced the cancellation of, “student game-day activities in lot 11,” due to the uptick in positive Covid-19 cases.

The student tailgate was canceled for Saturday’s game to “minimize the density of students gathering prior to kick-off,” Becker said. This will effectively reduce the transmission of the virus outdoors.

The email states that the increase in positive cases came from off-campus vaccinated students. This uptick has been connected to student activities in indoor social settings, such as attending parties and downtown bars.

According to the UMass Amherst Covid-19 Dashboard, between Sept. 1-7, there were a total of 149 positive cases, 127 of them being off-campus students, 19 cases are on-campus students and three are faculty and staff members. The dashboard is updated every Thursday.

While student activities in lot 11 were canceled, limited tailgating will be permitted for individuals with game-day parking passes.

“If we act responsibly, wear our masks indoors, limit contacts and avoid crowded, un-masked indoor gatherings,” Becker said, “we will still all enjoy a rich and rewarding semester and avoid some of the more onerous restrictions endured last year.”