The Brink:  Classes started last week—what trends are you seeing in terms of cases and infections?

Platt: Even though the daily case counts are still higher than they were the previous semester, the percent positivity continues to decrease. Massachusetts gives weekly updates on the percent positivity in higher education, and the last update was 3.07 percent, so we are certainly well within that range—even below that when you look at some of Saturday and Sunday’s numbers. We are in a good spot right now. We don’t have any evidence of classroom or workplace transmission currently; the people that you spend time with unmasked—that’s really where we continue to see transmission of this virus.

Waters: The positivity rate for higher education and for us really does speak to the importance of the public health measures that we’ve put in place. The fact that we have such a high vaccination rate and masking, that’s really critical. There’s a much lower case count in higher education, and here at BU specifically, compared to the general population.

The Brink: What are your current concerns about COVID on campus?

Platt: This is the first time that we have people isolating in place, which everyone outside of a higher education system has always had to do, so while it feels like a big change in our community, that really has been how the vast majority of the world has needed to isolate. That being said, we are looking at whether we’re seeing more transmission for those individuals who are isolating in place. And while it’s still early, we do have some evidence that people are able to safely isolate in place, meaning they can be positive and be sharing some space with other individuals; as long as they remain masked, their other roommates are not turning positive.

The Brink: What measures does the University have in place to support people who are—or live with someone who is—immunocompromised or have a condition that puts them at greater risk from infection?

Platt: Many of the measures that we have put in place and have kept in place were done with the knowledge that there are individuals in our population who are more vulnerable for a variety of reasons, because they live with someone who is immunocompromised, because they themselves are immunocompromised. Higher education sometimes gets criticized for being too conservative—vaccine mandates in a young, healthy college population—but many of the things that we’ve done are looking at our whole campus.

The Brink: How are you balancing restrictions with student mental health? Masks, avoiding some social situations—it’s really tiring!

Waters: That’s one of the major reasons students are in class: it does have to do with student mental health and social isolation—and how important that is for these students who’ve been in this situation for two years.

Platt: The goal continues to be putting tools in your hands and having information that you can take with you to keep yourself protected, as opposed to stopping everything you’re doing. Because whether you’re a student or someone who’s trying to get into work and bond with your team and work on a project together, isolation is a risk factor for mental health concerns, no matter what your age. The classroom and residential experience is a primary focus, but then there’s also some benefit that we all get from being in an environment where there are in-person activities. The classroom is a safe space, whether it’s K-12 or higher education; it’s what people do outside of the work or classroom environment that puts them at risk, and sometimes that risk is acceptable.

The Brink: What signs of optimism do you see on campus and in Boston?

Platt: Just have the visual be the wastewater!