1844 Society Virtual Conversation

While we all hope this not occur, it seems rather likely that some form of second wave will occur as the economy re-opens.  Whether it is a ripple or a large wave depends heavily on how well we practice CDC, White House, and NY State guidelines on safe practices regarding physical distancing, testing, and so on.

We are capable of adequate testing but it has not yet been rolled out to scale.  We need much more diagnostic testing -- every symptomatic person should be able to get a test.  Also we need to continue rolling out antibody testing to get a better sense of background community prevalence of disease (and an estimate of the percentage of persons who are still susceptible to initial infection).  This is within our national capability to do so....but we are not yet at scale.

I think that there will be a time of elevated overall death rates; some very early reports suggest that indeed we are already seeing that now in the US. This will be an important epidemiological factor to continue to monitor.

It has been estimated that we need 100,000 to 300,000 more contact tracers in the US; I am not sure which is the right number but I agree we need a great many more in the field than we have now.  In NY State, there is aggressive hiring of contact tracers now going on, and I believe we will have a much expanded workforce in place in the weeks ahead.  As to the second question, I think mobile apps for contact tracing will get at least experimental use in the US; they are in rather widespread use now in some other countries, and I think they at least merit an evaluative look here in the US.

If working closely with the general public on a daily basis is required, I think that the CDC guidelines for works in critical infrastructure industries hold some guidance. These suggestions would include wearing mask and gloves to the maximum extent possible, requiring the use of masks by the general public, frequently cleaning commonly touched surfaces repeatedly, monitoring temperature and symptom on a daily basis, and maximizing physical distance to the extent possible in the job.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-workers/implementing-safety-practices.html

I think that we now have a chance to reimagine what Higher Education might look like in the future.  At least in public health, I think we will see a slow drift away from in classroom teaching, and move toward a hybrid combination of online and in person experiential learning.  There is no replacing internships, field placements, and other key group learning experiences, but such experiences can be combined with outstanding online learning experiences to make for the most efficient and impactful learning experience. 

While we may see some ebbs and flows in COVID-19 with the seasons, there would seem to be a very good chance that we will have a second wave in the comings months...possibly to coincide with the upcoming flu season.  Until we have a treatment and/or a vaccine, our main weapons against COVID-19 will continue to be individual behavior change (like handwashing, not going to work if you are sick, etc), environmental cleaning, physical distancing, and the use of various forms of testing and contact tracing.  I think in the coming months we are likely to see the new normal involve a bit of re-opening of society, but with heavy doses of physical distancing in schools and the work place, use of temperature taking as a screening tool, very widespread use of antibody testing to determine who may have had the coronavirus (whether symptomatically or asymptomatically), and assertive contact tracing when a case is identified.  I think perhaps we can look to South Korea and the measures employed there....they did not "shut down" as much as other countries but they did a great deal of testing, contact tracing, temperature and symptom screening, and physical distancing based on data from such screening tools.

We need a crystal ball to know for sure, but I think techniques used in South Korea might give us a hint of what the new normal might be like here for the next few months.  With early data indicating that about 13.9% of persons living in NY have already had this novel coronavirus, the stakes seem really quite high.
 

Will you provide a recommendation to address these concerns? 

Understanding how COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted minority communities is critical to stopping the spread of the virus and saving lives. We’re proud to partner in this important research on behalf of Gov. Cuomo, Commissioner Zucker, and all New Yorkers. UAlbany is in the process of identifying a team of researchers, across our institution, in minority health disparities, public health, social welfare, and emergency preparedness, among other disciplines, that will help us carry out this important research once our scope of work is approved.

We will continue to support prospective students and their families with virtual tours, information sessions and electronic mailings. UAlbany has extended its deposit date to June 1, 2020 to give admitted students additional time to consider their options due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Like countless colleges and universities across the country, we are working through this challenging time and are committed to providing a high-quality educational experience in a healthy and safe environment. 
 

We believe that public universities have always provided access and value to a wider variety of prospective students, and this will remain true as we emerge from this pandemic. To plan for the fall, we’ve launched UAlbany Forward Together, a new planning initiative focused on academic continuity, employee support, facilities, finances, and student life. We are looking at three possible scenarios for the fall: fully in-person classes, fully remote classes, or a hybrid of the two. Of course, all decisions will be determined by the conditions related to COVID-19 and by state, federal, and SUNY guidelines and regulations. 
 

I don’t think there is any question that this crisis will have a lasting impact on higher education and every other aspect of society. However, we do not yet know what will be the full impact of this pandemic. UAlbany succeeded in standing up a new system of remote teaching and learning—practically overnight. We have learned a tremendous amount from this experience. Part of our challenge now is to take the multiple learnings from these unprecedented circumstances and apply them to what we do in the future to develop a stronger and more resilient institution.

Many individuals are at high risk of getting the infection in that includes those with disabilities that have multiple chronic conditions.

The Disability Resource Center (DRC)is the office that will help coordinate any special housing requests based on a disability (medical or psychological).  The individual would provide documentation of the disability, to the DRC and register for services so that housing accommodations, as well as academic accommodations, can be made.  At this point in time all restrooms are either shared in a suite or shared down the hall in Residence Halls.  There are some private bedrooms, either alone or in a suite.  The DRC will consult with the Student Health Services (SHS) or Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), if appropriate to ensure an appropriate accommodation is made.  Individuals should register with the DRC soonest so the determination and assignment of an appropriate housing accommodation can be made early.