Some Colleges Loosen Rules for a Virus That Won't Go Away

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Times

As the Omicron surge spreads across the country, sending Covid-19 case counts to new heights and disrupting daily life, some universities are preparing for a new phase of the pandemic — one that acknowledges that the virus is here to stay and requires a rethinking of how to handle life on campus.

Schools are asking: Should there still be mass testing? Does there need to be contact tracing? What about tracking the number of cases — and posting them on campus dashboards? And when there is a spike in cases, do classes need to go remote?

Universities from Northeastern in Boston to the University of California-Davis have begun to discuss Covid in “endemic” terms — a shift from reacting to each spike of cases as a crisis to the reality of living with it daily. And in some cases, there has been backlash.

“I think we’re in a period of transition, hopefully to an endemic phase,” Martha Pollack, president of Cornell University, said. “I say hopefully because with this pandemic, we don’t know what’s coming next.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/16/us/politics/omicron-colleges-restrictions-spring.html

[paleotn]

1. Might as well....

It's endemic to humans now. As with flu, routine vaccinations are the key, because like flu, we're never going to eradicate covid. That horse left the barn on Donnie Dumbass's watch.

[thucythucy]

2. This of course sucks for anyone--student staff or faculty--

who are immune compromised or can't for legitimate medical reasons get vaccinated.

I guess those of us in that case are expendable, or else should perhaps just give up on college.

Thank you maskholes and all you "vaccine hesitant" jerks who have landed us in this horrid state of affairs.

[Orrex]

3. Society has declared that such people don't matter

I have several friends who are immune-compromised or who have immune-compromised children, and the overall attitude they've encountered has been "meh."

Schools and businesses, as a group, simply can't be counted on to "do the right thing" and will instead prioritize profit over safety whenever possible.

[thucythucy]

4. This is precisely the attitude I and others I know have encountered.

Basically, "meh," or "sucks to be you."

As long as the dollars roll in everything and anyone else is expendable.

[Orrex]

5. You have my full sympathy

I confess that, were it not for the experiences of my friends, I would have little insight into the bullshit that you face, but once my eyes were opened it was obvious and undeniable.

[thucythucy]

6. Thank you.

I'm rather fortunate, comparatively. I'm done with school and can work at home.

Many others I know are not so lucky.

Anyway, thank you--your thoughts are appreciated.

[IronLionZion]

9. A professor welcomed students to class by calling them 'vectors of disease to me.'

A professor welcomed students to class by calling them ‘vectors of disease to me.’ He has been suspended.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/01/14/professor-covid-rant/

I have coworker who is immune compromised from a heart transplant. He had to wear a mask around people long before COVID and couldn't ride public transportation or be around children. Children always have viruses

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. It's possible the suspension was for this:

Later in the video, the professor explained he based his grading system on the Calvinist doctrine of predestination, which posits that God has already assigned people for salvation before birth, so no action they take in life can change that.

“None of you … are good enough to earn an A in my class,” Mehler said, adding, “So I randomly assign grades before the first day of class. I don’t want to know [anything] about you. I don’t even want to know your name. I just look at the number and I assign a grade. That is how predestination works.

“And don’t come … complaining to me. Take your complaints to God.”

That's pretty much asking to be suspended. At 74, I guess he doesn't give a toss.

[IronLionZion]

12. "Take your complaints to God"

is an open invitation to take complaints to school administration.

I wonder if this is new though. I doubt he would have lasted a lot of years with that kind of policy.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. Let it rip! Can't stop the money machine!

[Wingus Dingus]

8. Everyone who wants to be vaccinated can do so, and this isn't a high-risk community.

If you're showing symptoms, test and quarantine if positive. Wear a good mask indoors in public for further protection. That's about all we can do anymore, normal life has to continue.

[Initech]

10. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that we're all going to get it.

There's not a whole lot we can do to "stop the spread" at this point - it's practically everywhere. We just need to make sure that it stops killing people like it has.

[madville]

13. This was coming eventually

I think most have come to the conclusion that it’ll be here with us for years, maybe decades or even forever.

It’s pretty much on the individual to do what’s best for them, get vaxxed, avoid large gatherings if they need to, wear a mask when required, etc. Hopefully these colleges and universities will continue to offer alternatives to high-risk students and faculty, like an option to attend or conduct classes remotely even if most students and professors are back in the classroom.