Coronavirus

[Caracal]

We have a very late start to Fall classes since we're on the quarter system.  My biggest worry isn't whether students are vaccinated or whether they will wear their masks properly.  My biggest worry is that there is NO PLAN for what criteria mean we have to go back online.  We have students in "learning groups" who take all of their classes together.  If ONE of their classmates tests positive, then they ALL have to isolate & get tested.  I could lose entire sections of students with 0 notice.  There aren't enough hours in the day for me to suddenly offer an online make-up lab (and I'd need TAs to teach it).  And I have no confidence that the TAs or I will get notified of any positive cases with enough time to do anything.  I very much doubt that the contact tracing will contact ALL of their instructors or classmates.  I don't even want to think about the nightmare of the residence halls, dining, or other common spaces.

The CDC guidelines say that if everyone is masked in classrooms, those people aren't contacts. That makes sense. There really hasn't been much spread in classrooms when everyone is masked. You are right though that clarity on these things is important. Otherwise you have this situation where everyone is worried that classes might go back online at any moment, but there's no sense of what would trigger that or what the rationale would be.

[Kron3007]

We have a very late start to Fall classes since we're on the quarter system.  My biggest worry isn't whether students are vaccinated or whether they will wear their masks properly.  My biggest worry is that there is NO PLAN for what criteria mean we have to go back online.  We have students in "learning groups" who take all of their classes together.  If ONE of their classmates tests positive, then they ALL have to isolate & get tested.  I could lose entire sections of students with 0 notice.  There aren't enough hours in the day for me to suddenly offer an online make-up lab (and I'd need TAs to teach it).  And I have no confidence that the TAs or I will get notified of any positive cases with enough time to do anything.  I very much doubt that the contact tracing will contact ALL of their instructors or classmates.  I don't even want to think about the nightmare of the residence halls, dining, or other common spaces.

Fortunately I am not teaching this semester, but last year when I selected in person labs I was required to also provide a virtual option in case some students could not come (in isolation, health issues, etc).  This also makes it possible to pivot on 0 notice.  The TA I had last year is doing the course again and told me that he has to provide both options again this year.

It is a lot more work, but seems like the prudent choice.  Our university provided extra TA support on a case by case basis, so I was able to get extra support.  If your university if not providing such support, I would probably still try to have a virtual alternative but the design and quality would suffer. 

[RatGuy]

The CDC guidelines say that if everyone is masked in classrooms, those people aren't contacts. That makes sense. There really hasn't been much spread in classrooms when everyone is masked.

I think there's a disagreement at my university defining "everyone masked." In an email survey conducted last week, faculty in History and American Studies reported about 98% compliance with students wearing masks properly in class, while about 50% of English reported properly worn masks. English faculty also argued that first-year students were a lot less likely to wear their masks properly, and were a lot more likely to remove or drop masks when speaking to another student. So there seems to be a disagreement even within the same building. So the Dean's Office is hearing two competing narratives in that particular building: "the mask mandate is working and faculty feel safe" and "the students are bucking the mask mandate and faculty feel unsafe."

[FishProf]

I got a hairy eyeball (probably a scowl, too, but I couldn't tell) from a faculty colleague b/c I was walking across campus without a mask.   At FishProfU, masks are explicitly required inside all buildings (except your office w/ the door closed) and explicitly NOT required outside.  Also, Vaccine mandate.

So I am assiduously following the rules. Back Off!

[mamselle]

Still, better that way than the other.

M.

[Caracal]

I got a hairy eyeball (probably a scowl, too, but I couldn't tell) from a faculty colleague b/c I was walking across campus without a mask.   At FishProfU, masks are explicitly required inside all buildings (except your office w/ the door closed) and explicitly NOT required outside.  Also, Vaccine mandate.

So I am assiduously following the rules. Back Off!

Yeah, I have to hustle between classes this semester and am already sweaty by the time I get to the building and when I put the mask on I start looking like I just got out of the shower. Definitely not interested in walking all the way there with a mask on too. The chance that a vaccinated person is going to give anyone covid outdoors has to be incredibly small.

[kaysixteen]

It is the example for the students.

Put on the damn mask and cut out your whinin'.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Another one of my students has COVID.

Twice a week, I walk down Hallway A and see an instructor, who doesn't wear a mask, teach a FULL classroom of kids, who don't wear masks. This person did put one on when a bunch of admins came by, but then went back to no mask. One of my positive kids was in this class...

[Caracal]

It is the example for the students.

Put on the damn mask and cut out your whinin'.

My students are required to wear a mask in buildings. They aren't required to wear one outside. Rules should fit with the evidence. There are very few cases of real outdoor transmission and almost all of them involve people in close proximity for extended periods of time. I'm perfectly happy to model for students that wearing masks inside in accordance with the rules is important to limit transmission, but outside where the risk is tiny, you can do what makes you feel most comfortable.

[the_geneticist]

It is the example for the students.

Put on the damn mask and cut out your whinin'.

And that's why I'll wear my mask in all indoor spaces.
Masks are not required outside.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

one of our lab techs. got sick. Breakthrough. :(

[hmaria1609]

Mayor Bowser announced all DC school staff (public and private) must vaccinated by November 1st. This order includes support staff:
https://wtop.com/dc/2021/09/all-dc-public-private-school-staff-must-be-vaccinated-mayor-says/
Posted on WTOP Radio online (9/20/21)

[rac]

Our students are supposed to wear masks inside, but are allowed to drink. Of course almost everybody is sipping from a bottle. Does this count as masked or unmasked (scientifically; the university clearly counts it as masked)?

[namazu]

Our students are supposed to wear masks inside, but are allowed to drink. Of course almost everybody is sipping from a bottle. Does this count as masked or unmasked (scientifically; the university clearly counts it as masked)?

un-

[Caracal]

Our students are supposed to wear masks inside, but are allowed to drink. Of course almost everybody is sipping from a bottle. Does this count as masked or unmasked (scientifically; the university clearly counts it as masked)?

I think you're misunderstanding what masks do. They aren't binary. Transmission is a matter of time and amount of virus. I get the impression that people tend to think of getting covid as like getting cooties-an infected person breathes in the room and everyone gets exposed. It's closer to carbon monoxide building up in an enclosed space. If someone drives into the garage and leaves the engine running for a minute, it isn't likely to generate enough CO₂ to make anyone sick. If they left it running for 20 minutes that would be a different story.

If someone has a bottle of water in class for an hour and takes a sip from it every 10 minutes, everyone is a lot more protected than they would be if the person was maskless the whole time. Are they as protected as they would be if the person didn't take any sips of water? No, but if you imagine a line with full protection at one end and no protection at the other, I'd assume they would be much closer to the full protection. Even if they are taking more sips than that, I'd imagine it's still better than someone wearing an ill fitting, or crummy mask.

Besides, what do you want to do? Tell students they can't drink water indoors?