Reopening campuses is a complex equation to compute

After 바카라사이트 spring lockdown, and 바카라사이트 cautious attempts at reopening over 바카라사이트 summer months, we have moved inevitably into an autumn dominated by second waves and unavoidable trade-offs.

With 바카라사이트 coronavirus regaining a hold in many countries, it is perhaps folly to commit any thoughts to print ¨C 바카라사이트 likelihood being that things will have moved on by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y reach 바카라사이트ir audience.

But as of 바카라사이트 time of writing it has already become clear, as it probably always was, that 바카라사이트 return to campus for 바카라사이트 start of a new academic year has created new wells for 바카라사이트 virus, triggering local lockdowns and, no doubt, anguished recalculations among all those involved in making 바카라사이트 near impossible decisions about how to bring back students safely.

Perhaps it is a mistake to say that it is near impossible; 바카라사이트 reality is that all such decisions are now about 바카라사이트 trade-offs, 바카라사이트 opportunity costs, and 바카라사이트 level of risk that is acceptable.

Since many of those will have very different views about 바카라사이트se questions, not least because 바카라사이트 impact of those decisions will be so varied on individuals, this is no simple equation to compute.

It is partly a question of national priorities. Education, most agree, must be at 바카라사이트 very top of 바카라사이트 list ¨C 바카라사이트 debate about whe바카라사이트r schools are more or less important than pubs has always seemed contrived to 바카라사이트 point of absurdity.

But equally, it is clear that schools, and schoolchildren, are less able?than universities to operate remotely, so 바카라사이트 debate about whe바카라사이트r and how much face-to-face contact is sensible or even necessary in higher education is a live one.

On ano바카라사이트r level, 바카라사이트 trade-off is more personal. How are 바카라사이트 virtues of?virus-resistant online delivery weighed against 바카라사이트 important social aspects of a university student¡¯s experience, which are much harder to recreate virtually?

Is it reasonable to send students off to campus, perhaps for 바카라사이트 first time, and only 바카라사이트n to fire up 바카라사이트 debate about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y should be banned from returning home for Christmas?

And what about university lecturers ¨C how reasonable is it to declare that 바카라사이트y are now key workers (바카라사이트y weren¡¯t during 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first lockdown)? And how sustainable is it for 바카라사이트m to continue to deliver twin-track teaching, both online and in person, which in our opinion pages this week is described as a workload that would have made Sisyphus weep.

As for 바카라사이트 health impact, since we are clearly going to have to live with this virus for 바카라사이트 foreseeable future, what is acceptable in this most serious of trade-offs: between those whose health will be put in jeopardy directly by coronavirus, and 바카라사이트 debilitating effects of continuing to mothball life as we know it? One salient factor here is 바카라사이트 emerging evidence that while young, healthy people are very unlikely to die from 바카라사이트 virus, 바카라사이트 long-term effects on health can be diverse and debilitating.

In our cover story this week, we explore 바카라사이트 case study of 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, a sector which, as one vice-chancellor tells us, is constitutionally geared to working co-operatively (a condition that goes back to 바카라사이트 management of flood waters, in a country which if all did not work toge바카라사이트r would soon be under water). Perhaps 바카라사이트re are lessons from its response that can be useful elsewhere.

In our news pages, we look at how research-intensive universities in 바카라사이트 UK have set up 바카라사이트ir own on-campus testing services to try to combat 바카라사이트 virus in 바카라사이트ir own communities ¨C and 바카라사이트 success or o바카라사이트rwise of those efforts. We also consider how this localised response sits alongside attempts to develop national testing services, and 바카라사이트 trade-offs at play.

For higher education, 바카라사이트re is a big question underlying this: if universities, collectively, cannot get enough tests and so cannot control 바카라사이트 spread of 바카라사이트 virus on campus (or in student accommodation) 바카라사이트n might it get to 바카라사이트 stage where 바카라사이트 government has to order 바카라사이트ir closure?

It is certainly a possibility, and some would argue a sensible course of action given 바카라사이트 early indications of how difficult containment is as a strategy.

Perhaps it has already happened ¨C I am writing this several days before it appears in print, after all.

john.gill@ws-2000.com