This evening, an additional 98 midshipmen relocated to the Graduate Hotel in an effort to afford additional quarantine/isolation space in the Naval Academy dormitory, Bancroft Hall.
Naval Academy senior leadership announced the decision to implement increased COVID-19 mitigation measures, to include a full restriction of movement (ROM), due to an uptick in positive cases within the Brigade of Midshipmen, during a virtual address, Feb. 28. This is the second wave of midshipmen moving to temporary lodging in a downtown Annapolis hotel. Yesterday, the Academy announced that 98 midshipmen would temporarily reside at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Annapolis beginning last night.
“This is a dynamic situation and decisions are made on a daily basis in a way that prioritizes the healthcare needs of the midshipmen and well-being of our entire Naval Academy community,” said Superintendent Vice Adm. Sean Buck. “I am thankful for the flexibility and adaptability of the Brigade and our entire team here on the Yard and in the local community as we navigate this challenging period, especially the hotels for their responsiveness and hospitality.”
The Academy is executing an agreement to utilize 50 rooms at the Graduate Hotel for use as required. Transportation to and from the hotel will be provided by USNA buses or vans. While at the Graduate Hotel, midshipmen will be required to stay in their own room except when escorted outdoors at set times for wellness purposes. Classes will be attended virtually. In addition, midshipmen are not authorized guests or deliveries from food vendors or delivery services.
The Graduate Hotel was chosen due to its geographic proximity to the Hilton Garden Inn and their robust COVID protocols.
In an effort to boost midshipman morale, Naval Academy Business Services Division (NABSD) is providing several complimentary services during the ROM for midshipmen residing in Bancroft Hall. The retail side of their operation has pivoted overnight to create an online marketplace for midshipmen to buy essentials during this ROM state. They will provide contactless shopping through the Midshipman Store with this new service as soon as it launches, as the store is closed to in-person shopping during ROM.
NABSD is also providing more than $10K worth of food to the Brigade during ROM. This includes: providing menu items directly to the midshipmen currently in isolation from the newest coffee shop on the yard, the 1845 Coffee Midstore location; and daily food, treats and snacks will be provided to two or three companies of midshipmen each night from the Drydock Restaurant menu.
“The food items that we are providing every evening are NABSD’s way of supporting the Brigade during this challenging time,” said Heather Skipper, hospitality sales manager for NABSD. “When we learned that food deliveries at Gate 1 were restricted, we pivoted to provide these products to the Brigade. Since NABSD works in the service of the Brigade we felt it was necessary to provide the best support possible.”
As a reminder, the Naval Academy and Naval Support Activity Annapolis remain closed to all public visitation.
