Harvard Joins Schools Moving Classes Online To Prevent Spread Of Coronavirus

In an task to slow the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, schools across the nation are adjusting their schedules and courses. Among them is Harvard, the Ivy League institution that on Tuesday (March 10) reported that it could be moving to a "virtual" class schedule by March 23, once both the graduate and undergraduate schools return from spring break. Students have been asked "not to return to campus" up until instructed otherwise.


"The objective of those changes is to minimize the need to group up in large groups and spend drawn-out time in close proximity together in spaces like classrooms, dining halls, and residential buildings," a statement by Harvard President Lawrence S. Bacow reads. "Our actions are consistent with the suggestions of leading health officials on how to quota the spread of COVID-19 and are also consistent with similar decisions made by several our peer institutions. The campus will remain open and operations will continue with suitable measures to protect the health of the community."


There will be added resources for any students who might be experiencing houselessness, cannot travel to an impacted nation, or who otherwise feel they cannot afford to leave campus, Harvard spokesperson Rachael Dane told MTV News. (Homelessness affects an estimated 68,000 students nationwide; an added one in three students nationwide are food insecure.)


"We're working individually with students to meet their needs and to assess that and better understand whether they can go somewhere else and then allocate financial assistance and get them there if they're on some categorize kind of financial aid at Harvard," she explained, directing MTV News to the FAQ that was published alongside President Bacow's statement. "Students will have a place to be if they need it."


According to the Harvard Crimson, the school has already canceled several other offered events and is prohibiting people from gathering in groups of 25 or more. They join Amherst College, Columbia University, and several schools in California and Washington in augmenting class schedules for a digital learning experience.


Per a local CBS affiliate in Boston, at least 41 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Massachusetts. That number likely has more to do with the lack of ability to test people than a slowing of the contagion, The Atlantic notes. For now, the United States is significantly beyond other countries, like South Korea and Italy, any time it comes to testing residents. Even Vice President Mike Pence, whom President Donald Trump assigned to lead the charge against the virus, recently admitted, "We don't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward."


so far, there really is plenty you could do to protect yourself and those around you. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, and attempt to stay house in case you feel sick and are able to work or study remotely. It's also essential to combat xenophobia and racism once and where you visualize it, and to prepare time for your mental health as well.


"Anyone feeling anxious or overwhelmed can reach out to companions or family member for support and to mental health services that are obtainable on campus," Dr. Emily Hyle, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and attending physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, told MTV News.