As spring blossoming returns to a mostly deserted Bay State Road, Boston University wants to determine how much the COVID-19 pandemic has affected research by its PhD students and postdocs. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi

Public Health

BU Survey Takes Stock of COVID-19 Effects on Research by University PhDs, Postdocs

Also in our Coronavirus Tuesday Roundup: Patriot League games on YouTube

If you have a question or comment related to BU and its response to the COVID-19 crisis, on the subject of the move-out, remote learning, retrieving personal belongings, or anything else, please visit Boston University’s special COVID-19 website. Questions are being answered there by specific departments in a timely fashion. Thank you.
—Doug Most, executive editor, BU Today

Quote of the day:

Stat of the day:

BU News

Survey for PhD students and postdocs on COVID-19 fallout

As with BU faculty, the research of many PhD students and postdoctoral scholars has been affected—slowed or even stopped—by the spread of COVID-19. The University wants to understand the scope of this problem both for planning purposes and so it will be in a position to advocate for federal support. The administration has developed a survey to determine the impact of the pandemic on BU PhD students and postdoctoral scholars. (Among faculty, only those who serve as dissertation directors or primary research mentors for current PhD students and postdocs need to respond.) It is important for the University to understand the number of students and postdocs affected, and the effect researchers expect the circumstances to have on their progress and funding, so it can begin to develop the best plans to support them. Respondents are asked to complete the survey by this Friday, April 10.  

Stuck inside and missing BU athletics?

Have we got a YouTube channel for you. The Patriot League Network is posting a wide variety of past games to its YouTube channel, with more announced every day. Tonight the league is posting the 2019 Patriot League Women’s Basketball Quarterfinal—Holy Cross at Boston University (originally aired March 11, 2019), and games already available include the 2014 Patriot League Men’s Soccer Championship game—Bucknell at Boston University (originally aired November 16, 2014).

Boston and Beyond News

Another $3 million from the Resiliency Fund hits the streets

Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Boston Resiliency Fund Steering Committee on Monday announced the distribution of an additional $3 million in funds to support 29 organizations that provide essential services to frontline workers, healthcare providers, and Boston families most immediately impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Boston Resiliency Fund already distributed $5.4 million in emergency grants to eight organizations on March 25.

Monday’s announcement featured $1.8 million earmarked for access to food and other basic needs and $1.2 million for Boston’s frontline workers and healthcare systems. Of the organizations receiving these grants, 41 percent are led by a person of color and 79 percent are women-led. Among those receiving funds in this round: the Boston Immigrants COVID-19 Collaborative, which brings together 11 organizations serving immigrants to provide direct emergency relief and culturally competent food to over 1,200 families; Bridge Over Troubled Waters, which provides food, shelter, housing, physical and mental healthcare, and safety to individuals experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 public health emergency; and the Chinese Progressive Association, which will work with partners to staff city meal sites and deliver food straight to the homes of families in need.

“We are in the midst of a crisis that we haven’t seen in our lifetimes. Many people are out of work, and many are dealing with illness in themselves or their family,” Walsh said. “During this stressful time, people should not have to worry about accessing food and meeting their basic needs, and organizations should not have to worry about their ability to keep serving their communities.”

State relief fund announced

Massachusetts First Lady Lauren Baker announced on Monday the launching of the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund, which has already raised $13 million. This fundraising effort is a collaboration between the commonwealth, Eastern Bank, the One8 Foundation, the Boston Foundation, and other businesses and philanthropists. The fund will work in concert with regional nonprofit leaders and community foundations to understand the response and relief landscape locally and statewide to strategically fill in where gaps are pronounced. Areas of focus include essential worker assistance, assisting households disproportionately affected by COVID-19, immigrant populations, food insecurity, people with disabilities, and the homeless population.

US & Global News

Gender an issue in worst coronavirus cases

OK, this is pretty fascinating, although bad news for some of us: it appears that significantly more men than women get the severest form of COVID-19 and are more likely to die because of it. The Washington Post reports that this may be a stark example of a known fact: women tend to have stronger immune responses to viral infections, in part because of hormonal issues and the genes on their two X chromosomes. (No paywall on this story.)

Latest count of coronavirus cases

United States, 352,546; Massachusetts, 12,500.

Distraction of the day:

Kudos to Newton’s own John Krasinski for his SGN (Some Good News) broadcasts on YouTube; watch the second one below, which features him and his wife, Emily Blunt, surprising a young girl with a Zoom call. Then they’re Zoom-bombed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and several other cast members of the girl’s favorite show, Hamilton, who perform her favorite number. It’s kinda hilarious and sweet and you might even get a little wet-eyed.

Find BU Today’s latest coverage of the pandemic here. The University’s hotline for faculty, staff, students, and visiting scholars to call for referral of their virus-related medical concerns is 617-358-4990.