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With the campus fully restored, public health experts say Harvard’s Covid-19 policies are reasonable for the time being, but university officials are calling on them to prepare for another surge.
Since last semester, Harvard relaxed masking and testing protocols. Masks are encouraged but optional in most indoor settings and when students are required to take an antigen test upon returning to campus, the university will stop sponsoring it. Alternative PCR tests Later this month.
Harvard University encourages health care affiliates to take advantage of eight free antigen tests offered through private insurance.
“When you go to school, you’re in a situation where things are generally going well,” says John S. Brownstein, a professor at Harvard Medical School who serves as chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital. But based on what the surveillance data says, we have to assume that the school might have an incentive to bring in testing, to bring in masks.
According to Thomas N. Denney, chief operating officer of Duke University’s Human Vaccine Institute, the increase in positivity rates may be due to the colder weather as more people gather indoors.
“The virus will decide when it’s done with us, not when we’re done,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some numbers increase in the fall and winter months – it’s hard to tell yet.”
Enrolled students are required to be up-to-date on their Covid-19 vaccinations, meaning they must receive all doses they are eligible for in their major and subsequent boosters by the start of the calendar year.
As of August 31, 74 percent of all Cambridge residents were fully vaccinated.
On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new Covid-19 inhibitors targeting more transmissible variants. Some experts said more information is needed to understand how the vaccine can be distributed to the public.
Eric J., assistant professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. The booster may be safe. “Until we know that, I think it’s very difficult to make policies.”
When Harvard dropped the mask in March, campus disability justice activists They expressed their concern. Given the risk, the mask-optional policy results in immunocompromised partners. While some health experts say that those on campus should consider the risk levels of others, they add that most protections should come from the practices of individuals at risk.
“While that should be respected, there are also practical limits to what can be done,” said Daniel R. Kuritzks, MD, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “You can’t ask the whole population to wear masks because a small fraction of that population could be at risk.”
Michael T. Osterholm, who served on President Joe Biden’s transition Covid-19 advisory board, said the United States had already passed strict public health restrictions, making it difficult to re-implement them without a serious excuse.
“What’s happening is we’re seeing the community decide, ‘We’re done with these.’ [masks]The spread of Covid-19 remains a “real danger” for the majority of the American population, Olsterholm said.
Although they recognize that policymaking around the epidemic is difficult, Massachusetts General Hospital infectious disease expert Amir M. Mohareb said he would appreciate more clarity “on the ramps” that could lead to the return of Covid-19 restrictions.
“What I would like to see from the authorities who put this guidance together is what are the parameters by which more rigorous testing and contact tracing – which has already been done – will be reestablished,” Mohareb said.
If new strains of Covid-19 develop, the actual policy at the beginning of the semester may not be implemented for two months, Brownstein said.
“The pandemic has taught us that things can change quickly,” he said. “People should be flexible.”
-Staff Writer Cara J. Chang can be reached at cara.chang@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter. @CaraChang20.
-Staff Writer Isabella B. Cho can be reached at isabella.cho@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter. @izbcho.
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