Cancelled classes due to coronavirus

[Aster]

Only a teeny tiny number of U.S. universities are moving classes online, those few institutions are mostly located in a handful of narrow geographic areas, and over half of those few universities only view the disruptions as temporary, lasting no more than 10-14 days.

But almost every university is "talking about doing something". That is expected and appropriate.

Social media is blowing up far more so than when we had the last global health scare. Researchers are attributing this to the much more widespread usage of social media. Greater access to social media is not generally being viewed as being more helpful in keeping people properly informed. More like the reverse, if anything.

At Big Urban College, we have no nearby confirmed cases of coronavirus, no real directed special activity by the administration, and yet many faculty are freaking out already. I have already seen signs on doors stating that all office hours are cancelled, and that exams are postponed. The freaking out is even more exaggerated with many of our staff. People are taking sick leave... why...

There is always a lot of regular sickness this time of year, and usually a spike in coughs and sniffles after Spring Break at many universities.

On the plus side, my institution refilled all of the bathroom soap dispensers on Monday. Classy.

[polly_mer]

We have college-age relatives visiting us this week over their spring break.  I'm seeing a lot of fingers crossed with them hoping they will get an extended spring break since their friends at various places have already had such announced.  The joke has already been what nice, healthy coughs those relatives have as they arrived yesterday.

On the plus side, my institution refilled all of the bathroom soap dispensers on Monday. Classy.

We now have restroom soap with moisturizer beneath memes printed from the internet on washing one's hands.

That's probably a good thing since we're hosting multiple international workshops this week at work.

[marshwiggle]

Social media is blowing up far more so than when we had the last global health scare. Researchers are attributing this to the much more widespread usage of social media. Greater access to social media is not generally being viewed as being more helpful in keeping people properly informed. More like the reverse, if anything.

At Big Urban College, we have no nearby confirmed cases of coronavirus, no real directed special activity by the administration, and yet many faculty are freaking out already. I have already seen signs on doors stating that all office hours are cancelled, and that exams are postponed. The freaking out is even more exaggerated with many of our staff. People are taking sick leave... why...

I think what has happened over the last few years, helped on by social media, is that any concern has to be a CRISIS!!!!! The media is not helping since they play into it to get eyeballs. For instance, the "climate emergency" suggests this is something which

• has just happened
• has a quick solution

The idea that most complex problems are solved by rather mundane measures applied over a long period of time doesn't fit the news (and Twitter) cycle.

[spork]

CDC preliminary estimates of influenza-related deaths in USA, October through February: 20,000-50,000.

Current count of Covid-19 deaths in USA: 26.

I wish my university's administrators would treat influenza like Covid-19.

[apl68]

Just learned from a former colleague at Vanderbilt that Vanderbilt has closed classes for at least the rest of the week.  In-person classes are cancelled until the end of the month.  They might even stay closed until the end of the semester.  Apparently a study-abroad group in Spain came back with one infected student.  She went straight home to quarantine, but the rest of the group got to campus, and so they are exercising some of that "abundance of caution." 

https://www.wsmv.com/news/vanderbilt-cancels-class-this-week-suspends-in-person-classes-until/article_926490c0-6264-11ea-82e9-c3ffb8211314.html

[Caracal]

CDC preliminary estimates of influenza-related deaths in USA, October through February: 20,000-50,000.

Current count of Covid-19 deaths in USA: 26.

I wish my university's administrators would treat influenza like Covid-19.

I can't see how that would really be realistic. Certainly, it would be good if people were a bit less blasé about the flu. It also would be good if Universities put more pressure on outside vendors to allow for paid sick leave for workers. That said, while we don't know real numbers it is pretty apparent that Covid is a lot more dangerous, especially for people at high risk than the flu.  It matters that this is new. The flu happens every year. We have a vaccine for it. That vaccine is far from perfect, but it does provide a decent amount of protection from getting a really bad case.  All of this, along with the higher rates of death and serious illness means that there is a much greater threat of the medical system getting overwhelmed. It isn't like the flu is just going to go away because this other virus is out there either, so you have to think of this as adding on to the medical burden.

[Aster]

Well, there is certainly a burden happening right now with everybody mass-hoarding every and all medical and emergency supplies. Water?? Toilet Paper?? Why are people stockpiling 3 month supplies of toilet paper????

My grocery store and area pharmacies now have whole aisles that resemble the sets from apocalypse movies.

[apl68]

Well, I guess that's good news for our main regional employer, which is a tissue-paper mill.

[doc700]

My school just cancelled in person classes for the remainder of the term.  All instruction is moving online.  Students need to get out of the dorms.

[spork]

Faculty here were notified that 1) students should prepare for "remote learning" by taking any needed resources with them when they depart for spring break, which officially begins Friday at 5:00 pm, and 2) we will be informed if classes will resume after spring break next week. 

I'm hoping that I will not have to commute to campus for the rest of the semester.

[Wahoo Redux]

Ohio governor just urged all campuses to go online.  Several already have. 

[spork]

Yet K-12 schools remain open, I assume? If so, that's doing things backward.

[Aster]

There are some K-12 schools that are pushing back now, arguing that students are safer in schools than they are at home.

[sprout]

Yet K-12 schools remain open, I assume? If so, that's doing things backward.

K-12 schools are weighing the risk of spreading infection against:
a) eliminating access to food for students on free or reduced school lunch.
b) sending kids home to working parents who are unable to stay home with them and/or older caretakers who are more vulnerable to the virus.

I don't know what the right thing to do is, but there are considerations for K-12 schools that colleges/universities don't have to factor in.

[spork]

Yet K-12 schools remain open, I assume? If so, that's doing things backward.

K-12 schools are weighing the risk of spreading infection against:
a) eliminating access to food for students on free or reduced school lunch.
b) sending kids home to working parents who are unable to stay home with them and/or older caretakers who are more vulnerable to the virus.

I don't know what the right thing to do is, but there are considerations for K-12 schools that colleges/universities don't have to factor in.

Yes, I know. It's a lesson in how badly many unwealthy children/families are treated in this country, often a product of, for example, structural racism. A lesson that will probably be ignored.