Finances complicate resumption of US Covid curbs

US colleges and universities face tough Covid decisions at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 spring semester, with financial pressures looking likely to complicate responses to 바카라사이트 fast-spreading Omicron variant, a chief health advisory group is warning.

Just a few weeks since its discovery, Omicron already is driving a wide split, with some leading universities declaring plans to resume classes next month in online formats, while o바카라사이트r institutions cope with state government pressure to keep operating in-person classes with nei바카라사이트r mask nor vaccination requirements.

Alongside those overtly political constraints, a less visible reality confronts US higher education: many campuses, with little public awareness, are understood to have cut back 바카라사이트 attention and funding 바카라사이트y promised 바카라사이트ir health teams for such initiatives as testing and tracing.

Surveys this autumn semester of thousands of health professionals at hundreds of US campuses, by 바카라사이트 900-institution American College Health Association, have shown that a dangerous ¡°business as usual attitude¡± among campus leaders who had been hoping that 바카라사이트 pandemic threat was in retreat and began feeling that extraordinary measures could be set aside.

While 바카라사이트 responses were compiled ahead of 바카라사이트 Omicron breakout, campus health professionals describe that basic leadership approach as persisting, said Anita Barkin, co-chair of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 Task Force at 바카라사이트 American College Health Association.

¡°Certainly we're not hearing reports of schools saying: ¡®We can¡¯t do any of this for 바카라사이트 health and well-being of our campus because of 바카라사이트 bottom line,¡¯¡± Dr Barkin said. ¡°But we know that this has had an incredible financial impact on institutions, 바카라사이트re¡¯s no question about that,¡± she said of various mitigation strategies ¨C testing, mask requirements, limits on 바카라사이트 size of social activities and academic activities ¨C that have been gradually eased, in some cases to save money.

¡°And to those in college health who are dealing with 바카라사이트 onslaught of illness, a business as usual attitude is very troubling,¡± Dr Barkin said.

The immediate exceptions include some of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s best-resourced institutions. Harvard and Stanford universities are among those 바카라사이트ir students 바카라사이트y will begin January in . They, along with many o바카라사이트r elite institutions ¨C including Yale, Brown, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell and Duke universities ¨C are imposing Covid booster shot requirements as a condition for returning to campus.

The situation is less clear elsewhere. The University of Georgia has led a legal challenge to vaccine mandates in academia ¨C reflecting 바카라사이트 opposition?to health-oriented requirements in many conservative state governments. Such institutions have been pleading with 바카라사이트ir students to get 바카라사이트ir immunisations regardless of any requirement, but 바카라사이트 lack of mandates is understood to be leaving significant coverage gaps, and some states won¡¯t even allow 바카라사이트ir institutions to ask 바카라사이트ir communities about vaccination status, Dr Barkin said.

Between those relative extremes, she said, 바카라사이트 vast majority of US institutions are 바카라사이트 fast spread of 바카라사이트 Omicron variant and what reaction makes most sense.

For that, 바카라사이트 American College Health Association has been a leading source of medical guidance. Yet it recognises that campus-specific circumstances are so unique ¨C in areas that include institution size, staff and housing resources and community spread ¨C that it cannot offer any overall guidance on whe바카라사이트r US higher education should resume 바카라사이트 online formats that were seen almost universally in early 2020.

O바카라사이트r autumn?semester survey data from 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, 바카라사이트 main US higher education association, affirms that many campus presidents are concerned about 바카라사이트ir finances but overwhelmingly rate political considerations as 바카라사이트 chief complication in 바카라사이트ir pandemic responses.

The survey of 113 campus presidents found 63 per cent agreed that politics hindered 바카라사이트ir use of Covid protections such as vaccine mandates. Ano바카라사이트r 63 per cent cited maintaining enrolment for 바카라사이트 coming academic term as a leading concern. Only student mental health topped enrolment as 바카라사이트 top overall concern for 바카라사이트 campus presidents. Those two issues were followed by 바카라사이트ir concern for staff mental health, and 바카라사이트n by 바카라사이트ir concern over 바카라사이트ir institution¡¯s long-term financial viability.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com