Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Harvard, Warren: centers, approval, health)

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

That is rather BS that the schools are doing that. They are doing it because they don't want to get stuck with the students if/when a lockdown is enforced. I bet students won't be getting any refunds either.

What is the alternative???

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by massnative71

What is the alternative???

Letting them stay in the dorms they paid for?

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

That is rather BS that the schools are doing that. They are doing it because they don't want to get stuck with the students if/when a lockdown is enforced. I bet students won't be getting any refunds either.

Are you volunteering to go take care of sick kids who are packing in 3 to a room with 30+ sharing a bathroom? Are you going to deliver their food? Are you going to wash their clothes?



Colleges are not equipped to take care of students safely in a pandemic. Most of the students will be fine, but some won't. Students who are immunocompromised, have asthma, diabetes, etc. WILL. NOT. BE. SAFE. We have to reduce density, and fast.


There will be residence life, facilities, and dining services staff who know they are high risk or have high risk family members who will have to risk their lives to care for these students.



Colleges are not medical facilities. Most local colleges have a 5-10 person medical staff at best. We cannot safely take care of these students. I'm sorry you think the safety of college staff and immunocompromised college students is such BS.

[Arya Stark]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

Letting them stay in the dorms they paid for?

Yes I am not sure I understand the thinking. If they get the virus and stay at the dorms they likely will be away from older people who they could make sick with the virus. By pushing them home it would seem to push carriers into the community?

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

Are you volunteering to go take care of sick kids who are packing in 3 to a room with 30+ sharing a bathroom? Are you going to deliver their food? Are you going to wash their clothes?

Just because they are a school means they are exempt from the obligations of being a landlord?

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

Just because they are a school means they are exempt from the obligations of being a landlord?

What obligations does a landlord have here? If I get coronavirus, my landlord (property management company) is going to hose down my door and disinfect the common area of my apartment, but they're not going to have to figure out how to feed me 3 meals a day. Nor how to feed and care for the dozens of other people I expose just by existing. I also have my own bathroom and kitchen, as the vast majority of people do (even living with roommates where you share). A college dorm is not that type of situation and a student relies on shared facilities for everything.


Furthermore, in most college residence hall contracts there is a stipulation about forcing people out in situations like these. People don't read the fine print and frankly couldn't be expected to ever think this would happen. It sucks, but it is what it is.



My university is offering prorated refunds. We will probably see mass layoffs next year as a result. Other colleges will fail. It doesn't matter - we're doing what's best to keep our community safe.

[Arya Stark]

They just announced that a Brigham and Women's doctor has tested positive.

It just seems very obvious that a lot of people have it. At this point I wonder if there is any point to this social distancing and if people under 60 should just get on with their lives and focus on keeping their immune systems strong.

I think this virus has currently infected about 30% of the population and by two weeks from now that will likely be 80% of the population.

I don't think this trying to stay away from the virus will work because I think it has been here for a long time and just about everyone they test in the city or who works there probably has it by now.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by Arya Stark

They just announced that a Brigham and Women's doctor has tested positive.

It just seems very obvious that a lot of people have it. At this point I wonder if there is any point to this social distancing and if people under 60 should just get on with their lives and focus on keeping their immune systems strong.

I think this virus has currently infected about 30% of the population and by two weeks from now that will likely be 80% of the population.

I don't think this trying to stay away from the virus will work because I think it has been here for a long time and just about everyone they test in the city or who works there probably has it by now.

We need to flatten the curve. Yes, many more people may get it even if we shut everything down today. But if we help spread it out, our medical centers won't be overwhelmed.


We don't have enough ventilators in the US to care for the projected need even if only 40% of the population gets coronavirus. We don't even have a quarter of the need. By slowing the spread, we can help prevent what's happening in Italy with doctors having to make the decision about who gets care and who dies in their hallways.



And that's all to say nothing about people who have all the other typical illnesses, accidents, and issues that could be expected to happen.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

We need to flatten the curve. Yes, many more people may get it even if we shut everything down today. But if we help spread it out, our medical centers won't be overwhelmed.

We don't have enough ventilators in the US to care for the projected need even if only 40% of the population gets coronavirus. We don't even have a quarter of the need. By slowing the spread, we can help prevent what's happening in Italy with doctors having to make the decision about who gets care and who dies in their hallways.

And that's all to say nothing about people who have all the other typical illnesses, accidents, and issues that could be expected to happen.

I'm amazed at how many times and places this needs to be said but I much appreciate your saying it.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Ok, on our way to get the kids tested. They are suspected of being the source

Thanks for sharing your updates Mike and best wishes for recovery for your loved ones. First-hand information is gold in this sea of half truths.

Originally Posted by charolastra00

Lucky me, I'm also allergic to flowers, trees, the outside, joy...

Yeah, my spring (tree) allergies are flaring up, a bit of congestion and coughing. The shortness of breath however is just the panic attacks...