Problems With Closing Colleges For Coronavirus

[mi*vida*loca]

I assume your area does not have a lot of cases.
That is exactly not what we think out here in CA.
Of course even doctors have their own opinions, but everyone in my circle were starting to keep kids home from school earlier this week even before all school districts announced closure yesterday. And the doctors with elderly parents in SNFs and ALFs are brining their parents home.
Some hospitals here have already set up triage tents in parking lots to prepare for potential surge.

Even Apple decided today to close ALL stores around the world, except China. Almost everyone will dislike it, but extreme measures of social distancing works as demonstrated by China and what Italy is doing.

Im not specifically talking about only my area or my circle. There are parents all over the country who think this is all being over hyped and most likely have no intentions on convincing their kids to come home because they think it’s nonsense. So if a kid is still living on campus the automatic assumption shouldn’t be that it’s “time for parents to man up.” Maybe the parents don’t feel they need to come home.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I really really hope I’m wrong, but I think our country is in for a rude awakening over the next couple of months. It’s hard for lots of us to comprehend just how bad things could get because we’ve not seen anything like it in our lifetimes. I think people will realize the seriousness and importance of staying put in their homes in few weeks when infections and deaths ramp up. But that will be too late for many.

Please everyone, keep yourselves and your families healthy. I wish us all the best of luck with this outbreak.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Please everyone, keep yourselves and your families healthy.

The interesting thing in saying that is if we were to take the situation now with my husband and one of my sister-in-laws and pretend they were still in college the best absolute thing they could do would actually to stay away from their parents.

My mother-in-law presently is in her mid-60s and has diabetes (though not severe). My step-father-in-law just had his last round of chemo for prostate cancer last week and is also in his mid-60s as well as diabetes (though not severe).

I suspect there are a decent portion of students right now who have parents considered to be of higher risk as they are in a specific age bracket and some may have those underlying health issues that put them in an even greater risk. Sending me home if it were now would put my mom at an increased risk because she's over 60 as well.

Sending the students home puts the parents health at risk and in some cases at a very high risk.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

The interesting thing in saying that is if we were to take the situation now with my husband and one of my sister-in-laws and pretend they were still in college the best absolute thing they could do would actually to stay away from their parents.

My mother-in-law presently is in her mid-60s and has diabetes (though not severe). My step-father-in-law just had his last round of chemo for prostate cancer last week and is also in his mid-60s as well as diabetes (though not severe).

I suspect there are a decent portion of students right now who have parents considered to be of higher risk as they are in a specific age bracket and some may have those underlying health issues that put them in an even greater risk. Sending me home if it were now would put my mom at an increased risk because she's over 60 as well.

Sending the students home puts the parents health at risk and in some cases at a very high risk.

This is true for a small minority of students, but not the majority. And yes, my DD knows someone who is staying, with the school’s full support, because he has an immunocompromised parent at home. The school is making exceptions like this for exceptional situations.

 

[Southernmiss]

The interesting thing in saying that is if we were to take the situation now with my husband and one of my sister-in-laws and pretend they were still in college the best absolute thing they could do would actually to stay away from their parents.

My mother-in-law presently is in her mid-60s and has diabetes (though not severe). My step-father-in-law just had his last round of chemo for prostate cancer last week and is also in his mid-60s as well as diabetes (though not severe).

I suspect there are a decent portion of students right now who have parents considered to be of higher risk as they are in a specific age bracket and some may have those underlying health issues that put them in an even greater risk. Sending me home if it were now would put my mom at an increased risk because she's over 60 as well.

Sending the students home puts the parents health at risk and in some cases at a very high risk.

Yes! This too!

Son #1 has a lingering lung issue. Son #2 is returning from France right now. CDC just came on his plane at JFK and checked them before they got off the plane. Daughter at home has lupus.

There is no way I want all 3 of them in the same space for the next 14 days.

Son #1 is dropping keys and groceries off at son #2s apartment and refuses to see him at all for 14 days.

 

[Southernmiss]

This is true for a small minority of students, but not the majority. And yes, my DD knows someone who is staying, with the school’s full support, because he has an immunocompromised parent at home. The school is making exceptions like this for exceptional situations.

Ummm.. the list includes diabetes and high blood pressure. That's a whole lot of US citizens over the age of 40.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This is true for a small minority of students, but not the majority. And yes, my DD knows someone who is staying, with the school’s full support, because he has an immunocompromised parent at home. The school is making exceptions like this for exceptional situations.

We've seen people less than 60s get it, it's just being 60+ is considered to be an enhanced risk.

Are the Universities even putting a statement out about if you live with anyone the CDC and WHO or any of the expert doctors that have been quoted over and over considered to be high risk please contact us? Your e-mail didn't state as such so I was unsure. Some of these students may not even know or fully realize all what could make someone at risk. I'm glad they are making exceptions though for ones they are made aware of

Being immunocomprised may be less common as in you've had a serious illness or receiving treatment like chemo. I suspect diabetes is common enough as well as other health issues like high blood pressure, asthma is also considered to put someone at higher risk. I think if you really tallied up all the conditions of people who are considered to be of an enhanced risk it would be higher. I listed the main reasons that my particular inner circle would be at risk but there are various others.

Back to present life we are striving to keep our contact limited with our families knowing the various health risks. I don't know that we will stay away from them for weeks and weeks but we've severely cut down on how frequently we see them face to face but certainly living with them day in and day out would be the worst thing to do for them right now.

 

[seashoreCM]

... Closure announced yesterday (Fri) and this Monday the teachers have to meet to plan out the online curriculum ...

Teachers do not have to make up packets for all of the students for the rest of the semester on Monday.

Assignments can be sent out little by little if the teacher so desires.

 

[tvguy]

I flew back from Phoenix Thursday night with a Senior at Grand Canyon University. His University had hoped to do everything online and shutdown the dorms, but they are rethinking everything while the students are on spring break because so many of their programs require labs where the students physically have to be there.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Teachers do not have to make up packets for all of the students for the rest of the semester on Monday.

Assignments can be sent out little by little if the teacher so desires.

Yes, a week or so at a time. But our school wants some standardization and quality control, and we have to learn the platform they want us all to use, and teachers need to go through their curriculum to see what still works online, what doesn’t and come up with some new stuff. Most don’t have scanners at home, so we ALL need to scan our stuff in at school, so we can send it digitally. It’s a lot to drop on everyone all at once. That’s why I was pushing for us to be proactive and start the process 3 weeks ago. But no one in charge believed it would come to this.

 

[pryncess527]

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/considerations-for-school-closure.pdf

 

[tvguy]

our local state has lots of international students but they are held to the same dorm criteria (in normal times) as everyone else-winter break (just shy of 1 month) limited dorms so if you opt to stay on campus you move into a temp dorm and pay $$$, spring break (1 week) dorms open.

if this situation continues into the summer w/international students prohibited from going home it will be interesting to see what happens. summer classes here are almost exclusively high cost professional training courses (think what's needed to retain licensing and certifications) so it's limited dorms at exorbitant prices. i'm guessing it would be cheaper w/decreased leisure travel for those students to bundle together and take advantage of uber cheap hotels (think holiday inn express w/free breakfasts, microwaves and fridges in a room-you could fit 6 people in a junior suite w/2 kings and a double bed pull out sofa).

I've been out of college for 41 years. I belonged to a privately owned, off campus fraternity and we made a lot of money during the summer renting rooms to "termites" (slang term for non-members living in the house). We charged our normal room and board fee......but did not provide board during the summer.......and our rates were much lower than what the University charged over the summer just for a dorm room without a meal plan.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I think that ship has sailed. The virus is potentially everywhere. I would not want to live in a country where the government is closing roads and threatening to shoot you just driving down the highway.

Again, dangerous to the elderly, but 99% of people who get it are going to survive. This is not the zombie apocaplyse.

I think so too, but that doesn't mean it won't be tried. It would make as much sense as suspending flights to and from Europe after the virus was already spreading i nearly every state.

Just heard the Department of Defense called a domestic travel ban for all DoD military and civilian employees and their families starting on 3/16. Military families are scrambling to get their kids home in time. It may not be long before a general public travel ban is put in place.

Be safe. Be healthy.

 

[godisney14]

I tried to get my little school to start making plans for online learning 3 weeks+ ago, so we’d have our act together when this happened. But I was told no, the diocese is making a plan. We heard nothing from the diocese except “we are monitoring the situation” until this week. On Thursday they sent some link to distance learning ideas out to teachers. Look through these ideas, they said. No plan of any kind. Closure announced yesterday (Fri) and this Monday the teachers have to meet to plan out the online curriculum. School should have started it 3 weeks ago like I said!!! I already know what I’m going to do bc I’ve been planning it for 3 weeks. I just need to scan all my copies of stuff, so I can send it out. But the other teachers are STRESSED and scared and trying to figure it all out.

Unfortunately, most people won't act until it hits them in the wallet or face. But, I applaud you for taking the precaution and necessary planning. We need more like you.

Ummm.. the list includes diabetes and high blood pressure. That's a whole lot of US citizens over the age of 40.

Due to America's high fat, high sodium diet, and predominant mode of travel, the proportion of the at-risk group in US is a lot higher than many other countries.

 

[Southernmiss]

Unfortunately, most people won't act until it hits them in the wallet or face. But, I applaud you for taking the precaution and necessary planning. We need more like you.


Due to America's high fat, high sodium diet, and predominant mode of travel, the proportion of the at-risk group in US is a lot higher than many other countries.

I don't disagree with this. Unfortunately, nothing these folks can do about it quickly to protect themselves from this virus.

 

[Searc]

Just heard the Department of Defense called a domestic travel ban for all DoD military and civilian employees and their families starting on 3/16. Military families are scrambling to get their kids home in time. It may not be long before a general public travel ban is put in place.

Be safe. Be healthy.

Yes, it was announced last night and applies through May 11th. Local leave only, so if you're far away from your family, you're screwed.

 

[Searc]

Yes, it was announced last night and applies through May 11th. Local leave only, so if you're far away from your family, you're screwed.

I should clarify my last sentence...if you are stationed somewhere far away from your family, you will be allowed local leave only, no returning to see your family at "home".

 

[Cherbear013]

I really really hope I’m wrong, but I think our country is in for a rude awakening over the next couple of months. It’s hard for lots of us to comprehend just how bad things could get because we’ve not seen anything like it in our lifetimes. I think people will realize the seriousness and importance of staying put in their homes in few weeks when infections and deaths ramp up. But that will be too late for many.

Please everyone, keep yourselves and your families healthy. I wish us all the best of luck with this outbreak.

I know a family that just flew to the Virgin Islands from CO for Springs Break. Apparently they think this pandemic won't affect them... I just think its so irresponsible.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Oh boy. The parents on DD’s college Facebook page are fighting now! Parents of kids who want to (not need to, want to, need to is entirely different) stay at school are now angry at the kids coming back from break to get their stuff. And they are REALLY angry at parents of the kids who are complying with the university’s wishes because those parents are driving up to campus, packing their kids up and in their minds potentially infecting all their kids who want to stay. But all these kids who want to stay are coming back from all over the place too. People are losing their minds.

I get if you were already AT home, you could have just stayed home, but tons of these kids were not at home over break. My kid drove 3 other kids to Florida. They had to go back to school to get their cars so they could all go home. DD also needed her books, meds and clothes. She only had her computer and beach clothes with her on her trip.

It’s been interesting to watch it unfold. Stay healthy everyone.

 

[mom2rtk]

I thought I'd post an update on my DD's situation. She's still home and starting online classes. Knock wood, she's still healthy. Apparently the night I picked her up, roomie went down and hung out in the floor lounge with a bunch of other kids. Then went home a day or two later. So much for isolating.