CoverImage

Illustration by Afra Almazrouei

The Brief: Corona at Your Door

From campus vaccination drives and India approaching its second wave to universities’ responses to Covid-19, we bring to you this week’s coronavirus brief.

Mar 20, 2021

By the Numbers: Cases and Deaths
Note: North America Cases and Deaths now includes the United States. All case and death statistics are derived from WHO and ECDC. For more information about coronavirus cases around the world and interactive maps, visit Our World in Data.
Vaccination on Campus
NYU Abu Dhabi leadership has launched a voluntary survey asking community members to report their Covid-19 vaccinations. The survey is anonymous and intended to respect the privacy of each individual but it will collect information on how many people within the campus community have been vaccinated or intend to do so. Individuals are also asked to report if they received the vaccine at the on campus vaccination drives and if they have completed both doses.
A second vaccination drive is being organized for March, although dates have not been confirmed by the Department of Health. According to the March 18 Return to Campus memo, the university is waiting for approval from the DOH on eligibility for the first dose of the vaccine.
Second Wave in India
India appears to be heading into a second wave after it recorded its highest single day rise in over 100 days on March 18. Infection numbers have surpassed 11 million and the recovery rate has dropped.
Higher Education and the Coronavirus
The pandemic has affected universities and their ability to carry out in-person classes and activities. Across the United States, as cases rise and restrictions change, universities have responded differently.
In New Hampshire, Colby-Sawyer College has drawn criticism from students and parents on its overflow housing facilities for positive coronavirus cases. Once the dorm set aside for positive cases was filled, students were moved to a gym. After backlash from the community, Colby-Sawyer officials attempted to rectify the situation by adding more partitions, Wi-Fi and electrical outlets.
The University of California, Davis, offered students 75 U.S. dollars to avoid travel during their upcoming spring break. The initiative, intended to incentivize students to stay in place during their break, was marketed as a grant for students to plan a “staycation.”
This article is a collaborative effort by The News Desk. Email them at feedback@thegazelle.org.
gazelle logo