London frat house plans frosh parties calling it a 'crime' to rob students of experience

AWestern University fraternityhas taken to social media promoting an alternative to the school's mostly virtual orientation week, causing concern among London's health officials.

Delta Upsilon, an established frat house in London, Ont., is offering incoming first-year students an alternative to O-Week, includingparties and social gatherings.

The event's social media page saysthe group decided to host their own celebrationbecause they think "it ought to be a downright crime to rob frosh of the late night mini-raves and partying that makes the week one of the most memorable experiences of our lives as Western students."

The $100 ticket gives attendees access to a lineup of events throughout the week including asmall toga paint party, capped at 45 to 50 people,a trip to Grand Bend, a group volunteering event and a BBQnight.

"When that type of post goes up and there areplans for some big parties, it concerns me," said Dr. Alex Summers, the associate medical officer of health with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU).

"Parties like that are going to be hot spots of transmission and we have to make sure that everyone understandsthe potential risks."

CBC News has reached out to the fraternity for comment, butno onehas yet been available.

Organizers do say there are guidelines,an attempt to keep party-goerssafe from COVID-19, including asking attendees to complete a health screening before each event, checking temperatures at the door and wearing a mask.

The frat house also plans to divide attendees into cohortsof 45 to 50 people to reduce exposure.

While the province allows indoor gatherings of up to 50 people and outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people, that doesn't mean groupscan be crammed together, one of the big concerns from health unit.

"With those 50 people, unless they are part of your social circle, you still have to physically distance," Summers said.

"We are concerned there is going to be large interactions between individuals that aren't part of the same social circle. That's whereyou start to see physical contacts go up rapidly and the potential for COVID-19 increase," he said, adding that physical distancingwill be challenging, especially if alcohol is involved.

The fraternity said it has consulted with public health officials on safety measures.Summers said the MLHU has not been contacted by the organizers.

Party-goers can be fined if they fail to adhere to provincial guidelines

While the City of London has taken an education-firstapproach whenenforcing provincial orders, by-law officers canissue tickets to party-goers or hosts who aren't abiding to health guidelines, such as exceeding gathering limits, not using a mask when required or failing to maintaintwometres of physical distance.

Violating thesemeasure can lead to a $750 fine, plussurcharges for a total of $830.

"Our hope is that anyone who is planning a large gathering is also following all of the health precautions the priority for our community is to prevent the spread of COVID-19," a city spokesperson said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Western University said it is alsoaware of the event but clarified it isn't directly affiliated with fraternitiesor sororities.

"We hope all of our students do their part, take precautionary measures, and work together to create a safer and healthier community," saidJennifer Massey, the associate vice president of students experience at the university.

This year, the university gave orientation week, commonly known asO-week, a complete overhaul. It has turnedan experience traditionally filled with large gatherings and large-scale events into one that includes a mix of in-person and virtual events that adhereto provincial guidelines.

The school is also encouraging students to create social circles of up to 10 people on campus and practice physical distancing around anyone outside of their circle to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Summers said he hopes organizers and attendees realize the important role every person plays in ensuring the virus does not continue to spread in the city.

"I think it's a testament to everybody's commitment that we've made such amazing process this far and we do not want that process to unravel," he said.