Student Updates
“Back to On-Campus Work,” Phase 4 Guide
Learn more. "Back to On-Campus Work," Phase 4 Guide
Find information about the spring calendar and about the Healthway website that is the portal to COVID-19 health screening resources and our dashboard of testing results. This guide for faculty and staff includes recent updates on the daily health screening requirement, Category 3 testing frequency, and expectations and corrective action for health screening and testing compliance. There is an explanation of what happens if you report having COVID-19 symptoms, or if a student in one of your classes tests positive.
Dr. Joseph Mizgerd to Deliver 2020 University Lecture
From Cough to COVID: How Respiratory Infections Produce Problems and Our Bodies Fight Back
Nov. 17 | 5 p.m. | Zoom event
RSVP by clicking on the following link: 2020 University Lecture
Upon registration, you will receive an email with login details for the event.
Established in 1950, the University Lecture spotlights the outstanding and thought-provoking research of a Boston University faculty member. This year’s distinguished lecturer is Joseph Mizgerd, ScD, Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Director of the BU Pulmonary Center and a NEIDL investigator.
Dr. Mizgerd and his team study pulmonary immunology and its influence on acute lower respiratory tract infections. They are illuminating the regulation and function of immune cells and signals in the lung, and how variations in these parameters determine pneumonia susceptibility and outcome. He is an Outstanding Investigator of the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and an American Thoracic Society Fellow. Dr. Mizgerd has a prominent voice related to respiratory infections, serving the National Institutes of Health on lung infection-related Study Sections, Working Groups, and Boards of Scientific Counselors; the American Thoracic Society in lung infection-related courses, working groups, and committees; and the scientific community by creating a now longstanding and recurring Gordon Research Conference on the Biology of Acute Respiratory Infection.
For more information, please visit the event webpage.
Important Updates on Compliance with COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols
Learn more. Important Updates on Compliance with COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols
Alumni Medical Library Safe Behaviors/Practices Project
The Alumni Medical Library, assisted by a team led by Tom Rose, PhD, Director, HR & Team Member, Healthway Surveillance and Response, is conducting a pilot study observing safe behaviors practiced by students on L-11, L-12 and L-13. The three behaviors being observed are: 1) proper wearing of face coverings; 2) proper physical distancing; and 3) hand sanitizing/washing. The sample size is 30 students, whenever that number is available, on each floor.
The goal is to increase compliance on all three measures to 95 percent or higher. Increasing the use of these behaviors/practices will limit the spread of infections.
Of the three observed behaviors, the wearing of face coverings, which is a University requirement, needs most improvement. One hundred percent compliance is required. If staff observe a student not wearing a face covering, or not properly covering nose and mouth, staff will remind them that 100 percent compliance is required. If the student's mask is uncomfortable, disposable face coverings are available at the L-12 Circulation Desk. In addition, staff are distributing individually wrapped, flexible straws at the Circulation Desk for students to drink liquids under their masks.
UPDATE: Where to Eat on the Medical Campus
As the weather turns colder and given that face coverings must be worn in public places such as the L Building lobby, library and classrooms, you will need to find other places to eat. While outdoors is still preferred, here are some choices for you to consider:
- If you have an individual office, the safest place is to shut your door and eat alone.
- Chequers Café area in the Instructional Building basement has been modified to maintain safe physical distancing.
- Hiebert Lounge and W Building lobby: Tables have been added while maintaining mandated physical distancing. Tables and chairs may not be moved/rearranged.
- Most departments and floors have conference rooms that have been modified to maintain safe physical distancing. Ideally shut the door and eat alone. Be sure to wipe down surfaces before and after each use.
- Other spaces can be identified by departments and administrative units with cleaning coordinated when not in use.
Please remember: Stay 6 feet apart and wear a face covering when not eating or drinking.
Weekly Safe Return to BUMC Update: Sept. 24
Research
As research activity continues to ramp up for the new semester, if you are taking on student rotations, or taking new students into your lab, please remember to review your resumption of research plans. We must maintain the COVID-19 safety policies of face coverings, physical distance and safe laboratories. If you need to update your plan to accommodate your new lab members, you can submit the revised plan through the BU Research Recovery Toolkit website for in-person lab plans, or for human-subject research plans.
GSDM
The Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine held a virtual training for its new Carbon M Series 3D printer (a large-scale production printer capable of printing 20 dental models in as little as two hours) on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 17-18, for certified dental technicians and key faculty members. This training ordinarily would have been held in person, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Carbon trainer, based in California, connected remotely with GSDM attendees, using multiple cameras to integrate seamlessly with attendees located both at 635 Albany Street and off-site.
View previous updates here.
Weekly Safe Return to BUMC Update: Sept. 17
Flu Shot Clinic
BU Occupational Health will be holding a Flu Shot Clinic on the Talbot Green next week, Sept. 21-25, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. by appointment only. Schedule your Appointment. For information regarding the 2020-2021 flu season please refer to the Occupational Health Center's website. If you have any questions regarding the vaccine or clinic schedule, please email buohc@bu.edu.
Research
Researchers, please ensure you have an appropriate supply of PPE for your lab to carry out research safely as we continue to work during the pandemic. To help, we have our PPE supply center with a secured bulk order of PPE for the Medical Campus. If you need more, please fill out the PPE Purchase Request Form and email it to Fredric Majnoun. When the order has been approved you will receive an email with an assigned time for pick up on Fridays at L-annex 219.
GSDM
On Monday, Sept. 21, the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine will move to Phase 3 of its resumption of in-person patient care, increasing the capacity of the Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Patient Treatment Centers at 635 Albany Street and the BU Dental Health Center at 930 Commonwealth Avenue to 75 percent. The school’s Postdoctoral Patient Treatment Centers also will resume Saturday appointments, at 75 percent capacity, on Saturday, Sept. 26.
View previous updates here.
9/22 Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month: A Conversation with José Massó
A Conversation with
José Massó, producer and host of WBUR’s ¡Con Salsa!
Sept. 22 | 5 p.m. | Via Zoom
Please use this link
This promises to be a lively conversation addressing Hispanic affairs, racial relations, the Spanish language, music and culture, and the current social climate in our community. The event will be led by Dr. Rafael Ortega, Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology, Assistant Dean of Diversity & Inclusion.
Few announcers have more credibility with the Spanish- speaking audience than WBUR’s José Massó. During more than four decades in radio, he has been a trusted friend to Latino residents of the Boston area.
His bilingual radio program ¡Con Salsa! has introduced Latin music and culture to a wider audience. While his program is known for its Latin music, he also engages listeners in provocative conversations on issues affecting the community, and is not afraid to take a stand.
Mr. Massó was the first Puerto Rican/Latino to be inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Mr. Massó has worked in television: beginning as host of the Emmy Award-winning bilingual public affairs program Aquí, on WCVB-TV and later as host of La Plaza on WGBH-TV.
Raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mr. Massó came to Boston in 1973, and taught bilingual classes in the Boston Public Schools, before serving as a liaison to the Hispanic community under Governor Michael Dukakis. He was a member of Boston Mayor Thomas Menino’s Office of Cultural Affairs. A past-director of community relations for Massport, he served as the director of Communications for the Nellie Mae Education Foundation and was the regional director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration in New England. He is a member of the Berklee College of Music City Music Advisory Board, the Board of Advisors for the Emerging Leaders Program at UMASS/Boston, and Steering Committee member of the Commonwealth Compact.
Over his long career, Mr. Massó has earned numerous awards for his work to improve the wellbeing of Latinos and other minorities throughout the Commonwealth.
Weekly Safe Return to BUMC Update: Sept. 10
Ask the Expert
“If I’m teaching (or learning) in a LfA classroom for a long time, how do I get a drink?”
Answer from Judy Platt, MD, Chair of BU’s Medical Advisory Group: “Faculty can step out of the room to a designated eating/drinking location for a drink break and encourage students to do the same, or use a straw to insert under their mask if needed.”
If faculty have any work-related, nonmedical questions related to COVID-19, contact BU’s COVID-19 Support Line at covidhelp@bu.edu or call 617-358-4990 weekdays between 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Revised Classroom Hours
BUMC classrooms will be available for scheduled classes and/or student study daily during the following hours:
- Unlocked: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Closed for cleaning: 10 p.m.-7 a.m.
Important Zoom Reminder
All instructors and TAs must sign into their BU Zoom Pro account BEFORE clicking any links for their meeting, or there will be entered as a guest. All faculty, staff, students should always sign into Zoom with BU credentials to make use of full functionality and features. For Zoom-related training and documentation, visit the Zoom page on the EdMedia website.
Research
All labs are open, and research activity has adapted to physical distancing guidelines to keep the campus safe.
Work is progressing to create a new electron microscope imaging core that will house a new JEM-1400 Transmission Electron Microscope awarded through a $463,000 NIH shared instrument grant submitted by Dr. Haiyan Gong, Professor of Ophthalmology and Anatomy & Neurobiology.
GSDM
Beginning Saturday, Sept. 12, the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine will add the Predoctoral Patient Treatment Centers to its Saturday appointment schedule, operating at 50 percent capacity.
View previous updates here.
Plan for Symptomatic Student Testing for All BUMC Students (MD, GMS, Dental, SPH)
Effective immediately, Boston Medical Center is providing on-campus testing thru its Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) Clinic for BU Medical Campus students who have symptoms and are advised by BU Healthway, BU’s SHS portal to its COVID-19 community health services, to get COVID testing.
Where: Influenza Like Illness (ILI) Clinic, Crosstown Building, First Floor
When: 8:30 a.m.-Noon Mondays-Fridays (hours may be extended during flu season)
Process: A student experiencing symptoms and either contacts BU Healthway or has a positive symptom screen and is contacted by BU Healthway and advised to seek testing should:
- Go to the ILI Clinic, which sees walk-ins only; no appointments or referrals needed. Please do not call the ILI Clinic.
- Provide their insurance information. Health insurance will be billed.
- Results will be available only to the student via MyChart, usually within 6-12 hours. The student also will receive a phone call from the ILI Clinic with results within two days. (Note: Students are encouraged to sign up for MyChart in order to receive their results more quickly.)
- It is the student's responsibility to inform BU Healthway of their test result.
- Recommendations for quarantine, return to class/clinical rotations will come from BU Healthway, not the ILI Clinic providers, as policies differ. It is the student’s responsibility to follow the BU Healthway guidance and instructions.