This seems to be the going plan: 1) bring back students and 2) hope for the best.
Given that the NBA can't even keep their players COVID-free, with all the money they can put into that effort, it seems unlikely the universities will have much luck. But I guess you never know.
Logistically, it seems like a nightmare. We have maxed out our classrooms and dorms and dining halls. We have narrow hallways and often only one exit and entrance to the classrooms. We really can't keep students away from each other, even if they want to be. And they probably won't want to be. In our college town, there have been constant parties near campus even during the height of the shutdowns. I'm glad I'm not in charge of figuring out any of this.
The faculty are having mixed reactions. Personally, I understand the dilemma and the need to hope for the best. It just seems so unlikely that they'll make it past 2 weeks. But to be honest, the main thing I am worried about is childcare. Opening up the university will accelerate a spike in cases leading to faster school and daycare closures - and parents everywhere are so desperate to even have a little relief in the fall. Me included. With the announcement this week, all my hope for returning kids in the fall - even for a week or two - vanished.
Thankfully, I live in a place where most people seem to understand the situation and are doing everything they can to mitigate it. People wear masks. They social distance (often better than me) and wash hands (also probably better than me). They sew masks and leave them in baskets outside, and then advertise on social media where to come find them. Nobody judges, at least not openly. Because of all that, we've kept cases low. We were even mentioned on the front page of the New York Times last weekend! Maybe we'll continue to keep cases low-ish in the fall too - here's hoping.
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