Thread by @shayshinecastle

Patrick O'Rourke is here from CU.
I hate to say this, but this dude always puts me to sleep.

O'Rourke: "The spring semester, we have the same degree of anxiety and uncertainty as we saw in the fall."

CU is remote right now, until Feb. 15 (to some degree)

The infection rate in Boulder is currently below the 350 per 100K ppl, "which is great. ... We hope the infection rate will continue to abate" at which point we would bring students back.

Even after Feb. 15, "more than 60% of our classes will be hybrid or remote," O'Rourke says.

No spring break this year, but two break days built in to the calendar: Feb. 17 and March 25

As you know, O'Rourke says, we had to suspend students last semester. We want them to succeed, but we need them to follow health orders.

O'Rourke: CU being asked to be a distribution point for vaccines "when it becomes available. Right now we're received a very limited number of vaccines" for health care workers.

It will be "several months down the road" before we'll have vaccines for the wider CU population, O'Rourke says.

Jennifer McDuffie, from CU's pandemic response office, uses the words "unified" "actionable" and "data-driven" in the first minute, which is surely on some COVID talking point BINGO card somewhere.

We also recognize that congregate group housing was a priority for vaccines and now it's not, McDuffie says. We're working on clear messaging to answer questions amid shifting mandates.

"Vaccines might not be readily available for students at that time," McDuffie says RE: resumption of on-campus activities

Weaver: "We're hopeful to have a smoother semester this time than we did last semester."

Wallach: Your statement that CU has the capacity for 25,000 tests per week is obv very impressive. Are there any requirements for students to be tested?

O'Rourke: We are communicating this semester that our posture last fall was that we were encouraging ppl we are switching that over to saying if you are going to be coming to campus ... you are expected to be part of the weekly testing protocols."

Swetlik: Once we're past the point we have enough vaccines that everyone can get them, will CU require those from students?
O'Rourke: "That's an interesting question."

O'Rourke: Technically, they're experimental. Most bioethicists say it's not right to require people to get something that is still experimental therapeutic.

O'Rourke: Assuming it moves out of that, to being fully approved, we'll research and talk with others about vaccine policy to "try and figure out what those requirements will be."

Even with other vaccines, state law allows broad exemptions, O'Rourke says.
Swetlik: CU doesn't supersede that with its own requirements?
O'Rourke: We do require the MMR vaccine. On this, there's science we need to understand before we set policy.

Friend says she got tested at CU recently (family members of students, faculty, etc. can get testing there). I feel like she has a testing story to share every time we have a COVID update... with a spouse in health care, I suppose that makes sense.

Weaver: How are you coordinating with off-campus students? What have you learned from last semester and what are you changing?

O'Rourke: We're doing things differently. Working hard with Greek orgs "to communicate behavioral expectations" and working on partnerships "so we're not just banging heads" but they're "accepting responsibilities."

Also: Mobile testing units on the Hill.

Weaver: Will CU host vaccine distribution for the general population?

O'Rourke: Those convos still happening, but so far Boulder County Public Health has asked us to do that only for the CU community. But we're open to helping more.

That's it for this one. @threadreaderapp please unroll. Thank you!