Boston University Weekly COVID-19 Report: May 6 to 12
Reflecting on BU’s 2020–2021 academic year and the University’s COVID surveillance program: “Together we truly can accomplish anything”
Boston University publishes its COVID-19 testing data on a public-facing dashboard. Gloria Waters, BU vice president and associate provost for research, and Judy Platt, director of BU Student Health Services, provide a weekly update on the overall health of the BU community.
Between May 6 and 12, 19 students and 6 faculty and staff tested positive for coronavirus at Boston University. For the final weekly COVID report of the 2020–2021 academic year, The Brink asked Judy Platt to answer a few key questions on COVID-19 at BU.
Q&A
The Brink: What has sequencing revealed this week about the presence of COVID variants of concern?
Platt: We continue to see B.1.1.7, comprising the largest percentage of variants of concern at BU, with a smaller percentage of P.1. It is notable that with testing, tracing, and isolation, we are not seeing large clusters due to these variants.
Has testing ramped up ahead of Commencement weekend?
Platt: Students are testing [but many students are already beginning to leave campus.] With numbers decreasing across campus, overall testing is decreasing.
How is the rollout of vaccines going at the FitRec clinic? Have folks been taking advantage of appointments and the walk-in option?
Platt: Walk-ins have been popular and we vaccinated nearly 1,000 BU community members during our weeklong immunization clinics. We anticipate having a few additional clinics over the summer, but access to vaccines is excellent across the city and state.
Do you anticipate that BU will be able to give out all of its Moderna vaccines to employees? Or will it create a backup distribution plan to make sure none go to waste?
Platt: We are working to ensure that vaccines do not go to waste, even if we are not able to distribute all of the vaccines we have received [to members of the BU community]. With partnerships we have established throughout the pandemic, we will get vaccines to those who need it!
As the 2020–2021 academic year closes and we pen our final weekly COVID report and reflect on the historic and incredible work that the entire BU surveillance team has done, what moments or triumphs from the past year will stay with you?
Platt: It’s been said many times, but I cannot stress how much of an incredible team effort this has been. It has been a privilege to be able to represent the collective work of our community with Gloria each week, but it is the hundreds of people working tirelessly all year that have made this possible—along with a [campus] community that followed the protocols and recognized that together we truly can accomplish anything.
Judy Platt, chair of BU’s Medical Advisory Group, oversees clinical management and isolation of students and employees who test positive for coronavirus, and helps manage BU’s contact tracing efforts. They are cochairs of BU’s Vaccine Preparedness Group.
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