Harvard Takes MASSIVE Action to Prevent Coronavirus Spread
Amid the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus which has rapidly increased over a short period of time, U.S. colleges and universities have taken steps to contain the spread of the infectious disease.
Currently, the reported cases worldwide have reached more than 119,000 and have affected over 119 countries and territories around the world.
To appease the global paranoia, institutions have already canceled in-person classes due to the novel coronavirus.
Harvard University
One of the Ivy league research universities in Cambridge, Massachusetts has announced its temporaru closure and has given its student five days to pack and move out of the campus.
With this, Harvard University is transitioning to online instruction for all graduate and undergraduate classes by March 23.
The university spokesperson Rachael Dane told CNN: "Harvard College students have been asked to move out of their Houses and First-Year Dorms by Sunday, March 15, to de-densify our community."
Harvard has also urged its students not to return to campus after spring "to protect the health" of the community.
In a statement released by Harvard President Lawrence Bacow, he mentioned that the decision to move classes virtually was not made lightly. However, it is the university's precautions amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
"To our students, I know it will be difficult to leave your friends and your classrooms. We are doing this not just to protect you but also to protect other members of our community who may be more vulnerable to this disease than you are," Bacow explained.
Before this, the said university had also banned all university-related international travel and non-essential domestic travel. They have also pushed organizations to abort unimportant gatherings, meetings or events of more than 100 people.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Following Harvard is another top-tier university that also announced the same decision.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) declared that classes for the week of March 16 to March 20 were canceled to help the faculty and instructors to organize and prepare for a full transition to online instruction.
With that said, the transition to virtual classes for graduate and undergraduate students will begin by March 23.
MIT president L. Rafael Reif explained that it is the university's role to minimize the transmission of the virus.
"We are taking this dramatic action to protect the health and safety of everyone at MIT - staff, students, post-docs and faculty - and because MIT has an important role in slowing the spread of this disease," Reif said.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Another institution to suspend in-person classes amid the coronavirus scare is the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The university has decided to hold online classes until April 10 and will reassess the situation if it needs to extend.
Having said this, UCLA will begin its online classes from March 22 to 29, urging students not to return to campus during this time.
Meanwhile, all events inside the university premise will be canceled or postponed until April 10.
Although there are no reported positive cases on the campus, the said changes are UCLA's step to limit the spread of COVID-19.
