To be clear, below are readily implementable steps for mitigating the exponential increase in Covid this fall that @mcgillu senior administration have not taken.
1. #VaccineMandate. Lawsuits violating civil liberties are unlikely to outweigh those of families of sick students.
1. #VaccineMandate. Lawsuits violating civil liberties are unlikely to outweigh those of families of sick students.
2. Preventing faculty from removing masks while teaching. This virus is aerosolized and not only transmitted through droplets. One instructor can infect an entire class if not wearing a mask. Instructor status should not trump the health rights of students.
3. Social distancing. Students and instructors are now assigned classrooms at regular or overcapacity as per pre-Covid scheduling. Not mandating 1 or 2 m distancing in classrooms suggests short-term financial concerns vs. considering long-term health risks.
4. Ventilation/filtration. Data on ventilation metrics per room and building should be publicly available and indicate disparity from recommended standards (6 ACH). Staff should not be discouraged from bringing air filtration devices should room conditions be unsatisfactory.
5. N95 Masks. Higher quality masks that better protect students/staff should be provided in cases of inadequate room ventilation, medical conditions, or simply upon request for individuals who cannot afford their own.
6. On-campus vaccination. Vaccination sites should be set up across campus on a daily basis until mid-October to ensure students can have existing vaccinations validated or get 1st/2nd doses much more conveniently than finding an off-campus clinic.
7. Online instruction. Instructors should not be denied the academic freedom to opt for online instruction for their courses should the distancing/ventilation context or rising infection rates be deemed sufficiently problematic so as to impair student learning and well-being.
8. Political transparency. Given a lack of clarity from the province and higher education administrators on the specific legal justification or requirements for not mandating a vaccine, much more transparency is needed to determine who is ultimately responsible for this decision.
9. Expert consultation. There are dozens of world-class experts in law, epidemiology, public health, and education at @mcgillu whose training and advice is being summarily dismissed. These individuals should be better represented in all pandemic related decision-making.
In sum, there are straightforward actions not being taken by @mcgillu admin for unclear reasons inviting speculation as to the political or financial influence/interference of donors (eg @mccallmacbain), the board, and province (eg @MinistreMcCann). We can do more and we should.
Correction: KN95 masks. These masks fit better, are readily available, not that much more expensive, and provide significantly better protection than the masks now provided on the McGill campus.
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