Colleges in the 2021-2022 Academic Year & Coronavirus (Part 2)

Parents Forum
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Davidson just published updated guidelines for their fall semester: Davidson College | Davidson

To the Davidson Community,

We understand that the rising COVID case data is unnerving, and it creates some anxiety around the start of the academic year. We want to share some elements in our favor and some steps we all will take as the semester begins.

WHAT WE’VE LEARNED

We are a residential learning community, and we know that you embrace our shared obligation to each other. You have demonstrated that by getting vaccinated – 90 percent of students are fully vaccinated, and that number will increase. Thank you. You also should be aware that the zip code that encompasses the town of Davidson has the lowest number of COVID cases per 100,000 residents in Mecklenburg County, both cumulative and in the past two weeks.

We know that during both the fall and spring semesters last year, the first two weeks were challenging. Below are some extra precautions we will take during that time to limit potential spread of the virus as we reconvene. We’re also sharing initial guidelines for the semester. We ask for your understanding and patience, because as circumstances shift, so will our response to them.

MOVE-IN AND ORIENTATION

There are a few updates to move-in and orientation that include expanded mask guidelines:

In order to prevent spread of the virus, we need everyone to wear masks indoors in residence halls on move-in days.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people should wear masks everywhere.
Everyone should wear masks at large indoor and outdoor gatherings (such as the reception for parents at the President’s House).
Orientation events and the Cake Race remain on schedule.

We’re establishing these guidelines because during move-in, many families who have been traveling are coming together in small spaces, in rooms and hallways. Wearing masks during this time minimizes the likelihood of viral spread and protects others.

FIRST TWO WEEKS AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY FOR THOSE ALREADY ON CAMPUS

Fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks in residence halls.
Everyone should wear masks in other indoor spaces (classrooms, library, union, public spaces in academic buildings, etc.)
If you sit in Vail Commons after eating, please put on your mask.
Armfield Courtyard cannot be utilized for large gatherings or as an open alcohol consumption space.
The symptom tracker is back, and everyone should use it. (It is required for entry to Vail Commons.)
We ask that you stay in the Davidson area and wear masks when carpooling with other students or while in public indoor spaces, such as stores.

We’re establishing these guidelines because of our past experience. If we wear masks indoors (residence halls excepted), stay close to campus and forego crowded parties during the first two weeks, we limit any potential spread following the rush of move-in. We’ll reassess these policies after the first two weeks, and we hope to modify or eliminate these guidelines.

THE REST OF THE SEMESTER

Please carry a mask with you.
Masks should be worn in some indoor locations such as Student Health & Well Being or the Athletic Training Room. Please abide by posted signs.
Vaccination is required for high-risk activities, such as Athletics or choral or instrumental rehearsals and performances. Please speak with your coach, instructor or advisor if you have questions.
Academic/public buildings will remain on CatCard access, so please carry your CatCard with you.
If you are sick, please contact Student Health & Well Being and please put on your mask. Please do not go to class, your professor will understand.
Unvaccinated students will get tested once a week and wear masks in academic or administrative buildings. Our medical team will share guidelines and supports if an unvaccinated student needs to enter quarantine or isolation.

FOR EMPLOYEES

You also need to be masked indoors effective immediately and during the first two weeks of the semester, except in private offices.
If you are sick, please see your health care provider. Please do not come to work.
Vaccinations are required for employees in high risk areas, such as dining services and Athletics.

FOR VISITORS

They should wear masks indoors.

You helped us manage two semesters without vaccinations. Thank you. We know we will have COVID cases, including breakthrough cases, but with your continued support and our level of vaccination, we are in a much stronger position to navigate those moments. Your concern for each other in getting vaccinated has allowed us, not only to be back in person, but to return to in-person classes and other activities.

We will continue to let you know as guidelines are adjusted and remain grateful for your support and work.

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3259

Right now my NJ employer is saying we all have to be masked in any university building, regardless of vaccination status. As professors, we have to accommodate students in isolation or quarantine due to Covid (no other illness or condition, though) by providing some means of remote instruction, although it doesn’t have to be “hyflex”-simultanous in person and streaming (the union put the kibosh on that). If faculty need to isolate or quarantine, we have to be prepared/able to teach remotely. If enough students in a given class are isolated/quarantined, we have to be prepared to pivot instruction to remote for the entire class.

According to current CDC guidelines, the entire state should be wearing masks inside as every county has “substantial” or “high” transmission risk.

The governor changed the rules re masks for public schools and is now requiring that they be worn.

I’ve been teaching this summer in a mask and it’s bad. 2 hours max is the amount I can lecture, talk etc. before exhaustion/headache. I did a Zoom class tonight and it was kind of a relief, although I know that the in-person foundation allowed it to be so.

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I’m coming round to the view that many of our kids (and perhaps ourselves) will likely get COVID at some point this year and we’ll ultimately have to get over it and not worry about it any more than we would about them getting flu or mono in college.

S has been at college all summer, doing his internship (which is almost entirely online). Many friends are also there but every one of them is vaccinated. They have been socializing but not in large groups, just going for dinner etc. pretty much as they did last semester pre-vaccination. They mask indoors with people they don’t know, but in fully vaccinated groups they generally don’t.

One friend got a positive test last week (she had an in person internship so a wider circle of contacts), now he has. Both with minor flu like symptoms (he’s still able to work, she was in bed for a couple of days). After his friend tested positive he did multiple tests last week, all negative until today (a week after her test, 10 days after he last saw her, so no clarity on whether she was the source). We’ll see how much further it spreads. But he wouldn’t have tested again today if it hadn’t been for the minor symptoms so I have no idea how many asymptomatic cases are around.

At this point I’m probably most concerned about colleges and schools closing everything down very suddenly and unpredictably, because I expect there’ll be lots of minor or asymptomatic cases amongst vaccinated people over the next month or two and I don’t think people in our state (CA) are prepared to accept that COVID is likely to become an endemic but manageable infection.

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Flu (the real flu, not the various minor illnesses that people call “the flu”) can be quite unpleasant, which is why people get flu vaccines (although flu virus mutation rates mean that vaccines are often poor matches to the viruses). Mononucleosis can result in fatigue for months, which can adversely impact a semester at college or high school, although it is less contagious than flu or (especially) COVID-19.

There are still enough people without any immunity that health care facilities could get overloaded. Perhaps once all of the unvaccinated people have been infected and children can get vaccinated, what you said may become the case.

There is speculation that some coronaviruses that cause common colds today initially caused deadly pandemics (e.g. OC43 and the speculated link to the 1889-1890 “flu” (so-called “Russian flu”)), but became minor irritants after most people developed at least partial immunity from childhood infection.

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Indeed, both are unpleasant and something I wouldn’t want my kids to get, and didn’t find pleasant when I had them in college. But I didn’t expect my college to cancel in person classes because of this risk.

In large parts of California that is very unlikely. In our county over 90% of the 12+ age group have received at least one vaccine and almost 70% of the entire population are fully vaccinated.

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Flu is significantly less contagious as well as less deadly than COVID-19. COVID-19’s significant presymptomatic contagiousness, in combination with being just deadly enough, was a big factor in the problems it caused in human society. On the other hand, if vaccination or prior infection reduces it to a minor irritant, rather than a very unpleasant and sometimes deadly sickness with high risk of long term effects, then it may be regarded more like a common cold.

The herpesviruses that cause mononucleosis are much less contagious.

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I’m coming round to the view that many of our kids (and perhaps ourselves) will likely get COVID at some point this year and we’ll ultimately have to get over it and not worry about it any more than we would about them getting flu or mono in college.

I kind of agree.

I’ve been a Covid-19 pessimist, but I think this year will be a transition to a new normal. And that will now include periodic outbreaks of Covid-19.

For vaccinated, young people, Covid-19 in the future should be closer to the flu and should not upend colleges the way it did when vaccines were not available.

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Both my kids’ college administrators (LACs) have mentioned something like ‘we have to learn to live with the virus’ in their communications to students and parents. They also said they expect outbreaks but because of the vaccines are in a much better place this year than last.

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From what a can gather, lockdowns are never coming back. Stores and restaurants might have restrictions on who can come in (vaccinated or masked or both) but we aren’t going back to spring 2020. So, in lower Covid areas and on campuses where vaccines are mandated, does anyone see a reason for remote class? I know, people here might say well there’s the professors with kids or the immune compromised and I get that. But, with masks and vaccinations, I just don’t understand any college going to remote class. K-12 is going to school in person with masks.

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Like flu, I expect K12 schools will close at least briefly when high percentages of the kids get covid. I know way too many breakthru cases among fully vaxxed and masked people to think the spread has stopped. At least the vaccines give us protection against serious illness.

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We had no outbreaks at our k-12 schools last year. Some cases and contact tracing but school never stopped. I work at our middle school and had a high schooler and maybe 10-20 kids out at any given time because of contact tracing. Big public schools. Now, the high school kids are highly vaxxed as are seventh and eighth graders so no quarantine for close contact for almost all of the students. K-5 had virtually zero cases last year and were also in school masked.

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Presumably,last year the kids were exposed to the alpha strain, which is largely asymptomatic in young kids, and they weren’t tested. The current delta strain seems far more likely to produce symptoms. Even prior to covid, every few years there was a bad flu outbreak that sweeps thru the schools, so I don’t expect this to be any different.
Fully vaxxed will protect them from serious illness, thankfully. I probably know at least a dozen breakthru cases, so I am less optimistic about stopping the spread.

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I feel the same way.

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My D20 got notice this week that all foreign language classes at her school will be taught on a hybrid schedule for fall semester. The rationale given is that since students are expected to be masked in classes, there needs to be an opportunity for them to see each other’s mouth movement for enunciation.

Let’s see where this goes with other classes…

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That is very interesting. Practical idea given masks required indoors.

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Is this in college? Couldn’t they wear clear masks, like these? ClearMask - The Fully Transparent Mask or this: https://safenclear.com/

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We had cases in our fully masked pre-K-grade 5 school. All of the cases seem to have occurred at home. A few occurred at birthday parties, sleepovers, etc…and those kids came to school (all in the same class) and ultimately shut the class down for 2 weeks.

I anticipate the same this year, as the kids are not vaccinated and many of our families are in Covid denial.

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I agree. Our district closed our middle school a couple of years back after a nasty norovirus took out nearly 40% of the student body.

I feel very sorry for parents with kids under 12 right now. It cannot be a good feeling sending them back to school without a vaccine option yet.

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yes, Simmons University in Boston. I suppose they could wear those clear masks, but there was no mention of that. Don’t know how others feel, but D20 doesn’t seem bothered by the pivot to hybrid. It is an 8am class so she’s liking the idea of not having to walk to the academic quad first thing once a week.

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I am curious how hybrid/remote classes would work this year because many, maybe most, students have roommates. How will students in that 8am FL class participate/speak, if they are in their rooms and their roommate is sleeping? I definitely have more questions than answers as to how this year is going to work!

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