January 12, 2022

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
As we begin the new year, and after a series of dry administrative updates on COVID-19 guidelines, I’d like to share a more personal, and hopeful, message for 2022.
 
There is no doubt that the nearly two years of the pandemic have been challenging. Each of us is justified in feeling exasperated or exhausted after all we’ve been through. And with the constant reminders of case numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths, many of us remain fearful of the ongoing risk to ourselves and our loved ones, and mired in the protracted uncertainty of when this will all end. For those of you suffering under the stress and strain of it all, please remember there are multiple resources available for support during these trying times, including Counseling and Mental Health Services for students, Harvard’s Employee Assistance Program and Work/Life Programs for employees, and the HMS Ombuds Office for all staff, trainees, faculty, and students.
 
Like many of you, I started to feel a deep weariness over the last semester. However, as I recently reflected on the past year, I felt my spirits lifting. Despite many obvious challenges, 2021 was an extraordinary year for HMS. Our researchers published more than 4,300 papers related to COVID-19 on PubMed, significantly demystifying the disease. Our frontline health care workers contributed enormously to improving the treatment and clinical management of SARS-CoV-2 infection. And HMS at large remained steadfastly committed, through MassCPR and other initiatives, to fostering global scientific and clinical collaboration for the betterment of human health worldwide.
 
Many of our accomplishments are highlighted in the 2021 HMS Dean’s Report. This report is a snapshot of the excellence that HMS represents, made possible by all of you.
 
Although we cannot foresee what 2022 will bring, I am optimistic that we will see a steady, if somewhat plodding, return to a more “normal” way of life. Based on data emerging from studies performed at HMS, we can feel encouraged that we are all acquiring some measure of protection from the multiple jabs or natural infections we have endured. We are also witnessing overall reduced disease severity, particularly with omicron, and lower rates of disease-related deaths.
 
I am not endorsing complacency—far from it. We must remain resolute in confronting the pandemic’s ebbs, flows, and waves as we learn to live with the risk of new viral variants or unpredictably serious disease, and we must continue to protect those in our community who remain at greater risk for complications. What will be most important in the coming months is for each of us to take advantage of moments of calm to rest and regroup. I urge you to find more deliberate ways to tend to your mental and emotional well-being and to make those habits part of your routine.
 
Throughout the pandemic, I have been inspired by the remarkable selflessness and brilliance of so many. You have helped one another, you have served HMS, and you have led in a global effort to combat this crisis. I thank you for remaining steadfast these past two years, and I ask your continued forbearance in the months to come. I am enormously proud of each and every one of you, and I am grateful for your continued perseverance as we look toward the future—and for the camaraderie that has sustained us all.
 
Two things are clear to me: 2022 will be brighter, and HMS will emerge from this pandemic as a stronger community.
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

Yesterday you received a University-wide email outlining important COVID updates (also included below). We strongly encourage you to read and familiarize yourself with the information detailed in that message, as it includes an announcement on winter/spring plans and changes to Harvard guidelines and policies.
 
The highly transmissible omicron variant is driving a huge spike in infections, regionally and worldwide. Fortunately, we now have more tools available and are in a better place than earlier in the pandemic. Our HMS community is highly vaccinated and boosted, and even though the number of individuals testing positive for COVID is rising, most are experiencing mild symptoms. Statewide, the vast majority of patients who end up in the ICU are unvaccinated. Across HMS, we need to remain vigilant as individuals and stay committed to the safety of our community.
 
Most notably, we want to call your attention to the following, which includes specifics for HMS:

• Booster requirement: All members of the Harvard community are required to obtain a booster shot. The deadline to receive and verify your COVID-19 booster is Jan. 31. If you are not yet eligible to receive the booster, your deadline will be 30 days after you become eligible. Visit the University’s vaccine and booster information webpage for more information, including resources for scheduling and verifying your booster.
   
• Pre-arrival testing requirements: Those returning to campus after any period of time away should review the University’s updated testing protocols to ensure you have sufficient lead time to comply with your designated pre- and post-arrival testing requirements. If you are currently outside of the Boston/Cambridge area, please get tested prior to your return to ensure you are not putting others at risk of infection while in transit. Refer to the HMS Testing Guide for detailed information for our local community.
   
• Classroom-based courses: Those classroom-based medical and graduate education programs that shifted to online formats for the first three weeks of January will resume in classroom starting Monday, Jan. 24. Students in these courses should expect to hear from their course/program leaders soon so they can plan accordingly.
   
• On-campus activities: We continue to ask that department and unit leaders strongly consider shifting any work and meetings that can be done remotely to a Zoom platform during the first few weeks of January. We anticipate that on-campus activities will resume starting Jan. 24, with persistent adherence to masking and weekly testing protocols. The University also recommends physical distancing when unmasking, for instance, when eating or drinking in designated dining areas.
   
• Flexwork decisions: We recognize that some units that are not required to be on campus are considering delaying their transition to on-campus presence to March or beyond. We fully support the decisions made by local department/unit leaders, who are considering their unique business needs and balancing the benefits and risks of various scenarios and plans for their staff amid an extremely fluid situation.

As omicron continues to surge, the most critical thing each of us can do to reduce viral transmission is practice healthy habits and behaviors. By masking, distancing, minimizing contact, and testing regularly, we can maintain a safe academic, research, and work environment. Doing so will also help us preserve and protect the health and safety of our community, particularly those who are most vulnerable to complications from the virus.
 
Thank you for your continued vigilance, and for looking out for each other.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

We are writing with local guidance for HMS faculty, staff, postdocs, and students following the University-wide email sent earlier this morning. In response to a rapid increase in breakthrough infections due to the omicron variant that is currently spreading in our region, the University has indicated that classroom courses will be conducted remotely across all schools for the first three weeks in January, with local exceptions as noted below.

For our HMS education programs, classroom-based courses will be conducted remotely. Students in these programs are encouraged to delay their return to Boston accordingly, as courses will move to virtual, online formats. Programs and courses with essential laboratory or clinical activities will continue in-person as planned in January, with rigid adherence to mask-wearing and a frequent testing cadence for students coming to campus. In both cases, students should expect to hear from their course/program leaders soon so they can plan accordingly.  

Laboratory research will continue without interruption, with persistent adherence to weekly COVID testing protocols. However, we ask all research department chairs, PIs, and administrative leaders to strongly consider shifting any work that can be done remotely during this time. The majority of our administrative units have not yet transitioned to an on-campus presence, but those that have should return to remote work in January wherever possible.

Please note that our dining, parking, and other campus services will remain open, while the Countway Library will remain open to Harvard ID holders but will be closed to the public during this time.

We understand that this new guidance from the University is frustrating and concerning, and it will require many in our community to take time during winter recess to shift program, lab, department, and unit plans accordingly. University leadership, alongside HMS and HSDM leadership, has carefully considered the tradeoffs between advancing our educational mission while maintaining community safety. Given the changing nature of the global pandemic, and the rise of the highly transmissible and immune-evasive omicron variant, we concur that the most prudent approach is to plan for a return to largely remote learning for January. Guidance for the remainder of the winter/spring will follow and be informed by the rapidly accumulating evidence pertaining to the omicron surge.

COVID continues to take unpredictable turns, and yet the resilience, resolve, and compassion of our community remains constant. We are appealing to your strong commitment to preserve and protect the health and safety of our community. Early evidence suggests that while omicron is remarkably transmissible and capable of infecting even those who are fully vaccinated, disease severity appears to be reduced, and boosters provide significant protection against hospitalization and death. Our winter/spring plans will be informed by thoughtful consideration of information that will emerge in the coming weeks.

We are saddened to feel compelled to deliver this sobering message just as we are all anticipating a winter break for the holidays. Remaining vigilant and protecting ourselves and our loved ones does not preclude us from enjoying some much-needed and well-deserved rest and relaxation with those who are most special to us. We wish you a safe and warm holiday, with best wishes for a brighter new year ahead.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

We are actively monitoring the situation with the omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. New data are emerging daily and enabling us to start to piece together omicron’s transmissibility, severity, and degree of immune escape. Experts, including leaders of the HMS-led MassCPR viral variants program, now believe there is likely to be an omicron surge superimposed upon the current delta surge in the U.S. As we have done so many times over the past two years, we again urge you to remain vigilant and to act with prudence for your own personal safety and compassion for all of our community.

We had all hoped the situation would be different. Unfortunately, it’s clear we will be living with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future. Therefore, as mentioned in the University-wide email last week, we must continue practices that reduce the risk of transmission as we reconnect with family and friends over the holidays by:

• Avoiding unmasked, indoor gatherings and minimizing contacts.
• Monitoring travel conditions and planning for contingencies.
• Scheduling your COVID-19 vaccine booster and your flu shot if you have not already done so.

Thank you for your continued commitment to keeping Harvard and our HMS community healthy. We recognize and appreciate that some units that are not required to be on campus are considering further delaying their transition to on-campus presence to March or beyond. We want to reiterate that we fully support the decisions made by local department/unit leaders, who are considering their business needs and balancing the benefits and risks of various scenarios and plans for their staff amid an extremely fluid situation. As always, our Human Resources team is available to discuss and provide guidance.

Please note that staff members will be required to follow their unit’s defined plans. Employees who would like to request other forms of flexwork based on their role or schedule should complete the Flexible Work Arrangement Documentation form and submit it to their supervisor for review.

During what is now approaching two years of the pandemic, the HMS community has successfully adapted to and identified a continued desire for flexibility in where and how we work. Therefore, as we transition toward the spring, the Flexwork Initiative Committee recommends the further piloting of flexwork models with sustained program oversight to track community feedback and to structure and refine our practices that support longer-term opportunities for flexwork at HMS. Additional opportunities will be offered in the coming months to share your feedback on the status of hybrid and remote work.

In the meantime, for current information and requirements for returning to campus, please visit the HMS Returning to Campus webpage and the University’s Keep Harvard Healthy website.

Thank you for your continued patience and vigilance as we adapt to the changing realities of life during a global pandemic. Despite the ongoing challenge, we sincerely hope you will take some much-needed rest in the coming weeks. We wish you a safe, relaxing, and happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

As we approach Thanksgiving, we are filled with gratitude for all that the HMS community has accomplished this past year. It’s hard to believe that just one year ago, families and friends were discouraged from gathering for the holidays. COVID-19 was ravaging our country, and we did not yet have adequate testing or the vaccines and therapies that are now in place and that have saved countless lives.
 
The HMS community has handled the most challenging phases of the pandemic with prudence and compassion. To us, these traits epitomize the laudable efforts of both the minds and hearts here at HMS. In times of adversity, all of us have the opportunity to exercise our most rational and emotional selves simultaneously, with equal measures of both being vital for any crisis response. We are grateful to each of you for your continued service in difficult times, and for how well you care for our school, our mission, and for each other.
 
This Thanksgiving, there is much cause for optimism and hope for a better future, but we should also remain vigilant and thoughtful in our plans and behaviors for the upcoming holiday season. A recent survey by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that about half of Americans will ask their dinner guests to wear masks at Thanksgiving gatherings, and nearly three-fourths say they will likely celebrate only with members of their household.
 
However you choose to celebrate the holiday, we hope you enjoy good food, good company, and some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
As we prepare to turn the clock back this coming Sunday, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the value of our—that is, your—time. We are all perennially busy people, and the gain of a precious extra hour will not materially rescue us from our collective fatigue. Nevertheless, we can use this opportunity to be mindful of the way we spend our time, and to pause as we take stock of the year thus far and prepare for the winter ahead.
 
I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that, collectively and individually, we are still recovering from the darkest hours of the pandemic. For many of us, our lives are no longer entirely confined to Zoom, but the effect of that displacement and isolation lingers.
 
With that in mind, I urge faculty, staff, and postdocs to make use of your vacation time and, in particular, any unused personal time, as those hours expire Dec. 31. President Bacow’s announcement earlier this week of this year’s extended winter recess is yet another opportunity for all of us to enjoy some much-needed rest.
 
To our students, I implore you to make well-being a priority in the months ahead. If you find yourself struggling, reach out to a trusted friend or mentor. Ask for help. Take time to tend to your emotional, psychological, and physical health. Your future depends on it.
 
Building resilience against burnout is critical. A recent commentary cites a new large-scale longitudinal study looking at how mental health issues develop in some students during medical school. The statistics are sobering, but the good news is that positive learning environments and support systems can go a long way toward mitigating burnout and increasing students’ capacity to thrive. Faculty and staff can help by ensuring that these structures are in place and by establishing and modeling self-care practices and work-life boundaries.
 
University resources are available to help, including Counseling and Mental Health Services for students, Harvard’s Employee Assistance Program and Work/Life Programs for employees, and the HMS Ombuds Office for all staff, trainees, faculty, and students. Our Program in Medical Education has also established a task force that assists with wellness initiatives, including wellness curriculum review and identifying ways to reduce burnout and promote resilience on clinical rotations.
 
With the holidays approaching, I am hopeful that our spirits will feel lighter despite the early sunsets. As the pandemic wears on, we should all take time off to reflect, recharge, and reconnect.  
 
Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

We want to be sure you have read the email below from Giang Nguyen, executive director of Harvard University Health Services. Given the realities of the delta variant and spike in COVID-19 cases at campuses across the country, we must all exercise caution and consider the impact of our personal behavior on the health and safety of everyone in our community and surrounding areas.

As we mentioned in our email last week, vaccination works and continues to provide protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death. However, breakthrough cases can still occur and we must remain vigilant. Vaccinated individuals who become infected can spread the virus to others in the community who may be at heightened risk for complications, such as individuals with comorbidities and/or weakened immune systems, who represent a significant percentage of our community.

Therefore, it is critical that we all follow the health and safety guidelines outlined below regarding testing, socializing, travel, masking, contact tracing, and staying home and using Crimson Clear if you feel sick.

Thank you for your commitment to keeping HMS and Harvard healthy and for taking care of yourself and those around you.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

It is exciting to have the fall semester now underway, and it is especially wonderful to see so many students returning to campus. Many campuses across the nation are now facing high numbers of COVID-19 infections, so I am writing to encourage that we all act with increased caution in the days and weeks ahead. Vaccination, regular testing, and masking are the foundations of Harvard’s health and safety measures, and we must remain diligent in our behavior and efforts to keep ourselves and our community healthy and safe.

The Delta variant continues to spread nationally and locally. We are glad to report that we have high vaccination rates across our on-campus community, as of September 1: 95% for employees and 93% for students. Vaccination can prevent serious illness, but vaccinated persons can still become infected and can pass it to others. While vaccination is one of the most important layers of protection for our campus, we must maintain all our safeguards. In the last seven days, we’ve identified 94 new COVID-19 cases. This pandemic is not over.

Follow Your Testing Requirements

COVID-19 testing requirements remain in place for every member of the community who is authorized to be on campus, including those who come to campus infrequently.

• With the rise in cases in the last week, we are increasing the testing cadence for anyone living in undergraduate housing to three (3) times per week.
• Please continue to follow your required testing frequency, which you can confirm by logging into Crimson Clear.
• Please obtain test kits through your School/Unit. HUHS does not distribute test kits.
• If you have a recurring presence on campus and are not yet enrolled in the campus testing program, contact your School/Unit testing coordinator. 

Socialize Thoughtfully to Protect Yourself & Those Around You

As you engage across the community and socialize with friends and colleagues, please do so thoughtfully, with health and safety always top of mind.

• Keep your close contacts to a minimum. The number of people who are less than 6 feet from you should be as low as possible. Engineer your activities with that in mind.
• If you need to interact with many people in a single day, keep your mask on, limit each interaction to under 15 minutes, and don’t stand closer than necessary.
• Plan events outdoors when possible.
• Plan events that don’t involve eating, drinking, or removal of masks (regardless of vaccine status). Be creative!
• Plan events where people split into small groups, rather than uncontrolled mingling.
• If you must provide group transportation for an activity, do so at reduced capacity to allow more distancing in the vehicle and monitor for universal mask compliance throughout the trip.
• Consume and cover! Consume your meal and immediately mask up when done. Conversation, checking email, and other activities should be masked, even when you are in a designated indoor dining area.
• Dine in small parties of 2-to-4 people. Avoid table-hopping. Consider dining consistently with the same small group of people rather than a different group at every meal of the day.
• Mask indoors and wear your mask properly, fitting securely over your nose, mouth, and chin. Ensure a secure fit around mask edges.
• Remove your mask only around your household/suite if possible.
• Use common sense when outdoors. Wear a mask if you are shoulder-to-shoulder in a crowd.
• If you are unvaccinated, you are required to mask outdoors whenever you are within 6 feet of other people. You must also maintain distance from others when dining indoors. 

Test Before & After Any Travel

• If you plan to travel, submit a test the day before you go, rather than the day of departure. That ensures time for you to receive test results, and not put others you encounter on your travel at risk.
• When you return, test immediately and limit your number of close contacts until you receive your test results, and preferably for the week after your return.
• If you are traveling out of state or internationally, please review and follow the latest travel guidance.

Boston & Cambridge Indoor Mask Mandates

Harvard’s indoor mask requirement has remained in place since spring 2020. In the last several days, both Boston and Cambridge have announced that they are re-instating their indoor mask mandates. Please adhere to these mask requirements on and off campus to lessen risk for yourself, as well as other members of our local community. We will continue to update you on any changes to Harvard’s policies and guidance.

HUHS is Conducting Contact Tracing

Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) will continue to conduct contact tracing for all positive cases and will inform close contacts, as appropriate, and provide guidance to those individuals on next steps they should take.

• Please answer the phone if we call, even if you are not expecting us.
• Familiarize yourself with what you should expect when an HUHS contact tracer reaches out to you following a positive test result for yourself or if you are potentially a close contact with a known exposure to COVID-19.

If You Feel Sick, Stay Home, Use Crimson Clear

Stay home if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. You are also required to inform HUHS using Crimson Clear if you are experiencing symptoms, have tested positive outside of the University’s testing program or HUHS, or have a known COVID-19 exposure. HUHS will reach out to you to provide advice on next steps you should take. Please be patient as you await our call.

Please do not come to HUHS Urgent Care for a rapid COVID-19 test, simply for reassurance. If you are not sick enough to require medical attention, please stay home. If you do need medical attention at HUHS Urgent Care, call first, do not walk in, so that our medical staff can advise you on next steps.

Be Kind, Thoughtful & Take Care of Yourself & Those Around You

We know that the last 18 months have brought anxieties, stress, and trauma. Inclusion and respect are core values of our Harvard community. As we all continue to navigate an unpredictable and challenging pandemic, please take care of yourself, be kind to those around you, and reach out if you need help. For mental health concerns, CAMHS Cares is available to students 24/7 at (617) 495-2042 and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to Harvard employees at (877) 327-4278.

Thank you again for your commitment to Keeping Harvard Healthy.

Sincerely,

Giang T. Nguyen
Executive Director, Harvard University Health Services

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

As we continue to allow more people on campus this fall, the health and safety of the HMS community remains our top priority. Breakthrough infections have been documented with the delta variant, even in vaccinated individuals. While vaccination continues to provide protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death, vaccinated individuals who become infected can spread the virus to others in the community who may be at heightened risk for complications, such as older people with comorbidities and people with weakened immune systems, who represent a significant percentage of our community.

The current situation with COVID, its variants, and breakthrough infections is evolving and concerning, and we are monitoring it closely. We must continue to evaluate and adapt our policies and behaviors based on emerging public health guidance, which makes it clear that vaccines are not the sole means for controlling the virus.

Therefore, we believe strongly in compliance with these Harvard requirements:

• Verify Your Vaccination Status: As noted in the Aug. 18 email from University leadership, you have until Aug. 31 to submit verification of your COVID vaccination status. Human Resources will be in contact with those who have not yet verified their vaccination status. Those who do not comply with this requirement will not be authorized to access campus, and their access to certain University information systems will be interrupted.
   
• Testing: COVID-19 testing requirements remain in place for every member of the community who is authorized to be on campus, including those who come to campus infrequently. Testing cadences and information regarding pick-up and drop-off of testing kits are available on the HMS Testing Guide webpage. HUHS continues to conduct contact tracing for all positive cases and will inform close contacts, as appropriate, and provide guidance to those individuals on next steps they should take.
   
• Masking: The University’s indoor mask requirement remains in place, regardless of vaccination status. It is important for each of us to carry a mask at all times and wear it correctly indoors, covering the nose and mouth unless actively eating or drinking. While we understand the importance of collaboration and social interaction, gathering with classmates or colleagues indoors without masks is strictly prohibited per University guidelines and the recent Public Health Order from the City of Boston.

We take these policies seriously, and noncompliance will result in disciplinary action. As a reminder, COVID Safety Officers (CSOs) have been identified in each department/unit with a regular on-campus presence. With support from the COVID Advisory Team, CSOs are tasked with communicating safety information, promoting compliance, and ensuring continuous coverage for responding to safety concerns within their areas. Issues of noncompliance that cannot be addressed at the department/unit level should be reported in a timely manner via this online reporting form.

We recognize that some units that are not required to be on campus are now considering delaying their transition to on-campus presence. We fully support the decisions made by local department/unit leaders, who are considering their business needs and balancing benefits and risks of various scenarios and plans for their staff. As always, our Human Resources team is available to discuss and provide guidance.

We also want to remind employees that the University is extending its emergency excused absence for dependent well care benefit through Dec. 31, 2021. This additional paid time off benefit can be used if needed for care of members of the immediate family or household who are well but whose schooling or care arrangements have been disrupted by COVID-19.

We understand it is challenging to stay on top of the evolving guidance. For detailed information and requirements for returning to campus, please visit the HMS Returning to Campus webpage and the Harvard University Return to Campus webpage.

Thank you for your continued patience as we adapt to the changing realities of living amid a pandemic. We look forward to the day when this virus is no longer a threat to human life, and we are proud of those in our community and beyond who are working tirelessly to realize that vision.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS and HSDM Community:

The start of the new academic year is upon us. To our new students, residents, trainees, faculty, and staff: Welcome to Harvard Medical School. We are thrilled you have chosen to join our community.

It is time for new beginnings. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of joining our second-year medical and dental students for their much-anticipated White Coat Day. The in-person ceremony was a year in the making, as these students started their first year remotely, due to the pandemic. This afternoon, I will join the Class of 2025 for their White Coat ceremony, which you are invited to join via livestream starting at 1:30 p.m. After the challenges of the past 16 months, it is meaningful that our incoming students will begin their studies in person.

We have come a long way since last year. I am proud of how our community has adapted and responded in the face of adversity. Ahmed Mohammed and Aljani Stanley, together with other staff from the Harvard Longwood Campus, took the initiative to establish the Black Staff Caucus. This supportive community is focused on creating and fostering professional growth opportunities and programming for Black staff and now includes more than 270 members.

In addition to hundreds of dedicated researchers, nearly 100 staff and faculty contributed countless hours to provide administrative leadership and support for the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness in its work to address the immediate and long-term implications of COVID-19 and to create a rapid-response system to tackle future health crises. And in one of the many student-led initiatives, Silvia Huerta Lopez, Lianet Vazquez, and Brendan Eappen partnered with community leaders in New Jersey to form Quetzales de Salud to help improve access to medical care for uninsured immigrants.

These are three of many examples that illustrate a steadfast commitment to our mission and community values: collaboration and service, diversity and respect, integrity and accountability, lifelong learning, and wellness and balance. Whether you are a new or longtime member of the HMS community, I encourage you to acquaint yourself with our values and diversity statement, which together define what we stand for, our culture, and our ideals.

I want to acknowledge the ongoing struggles and challenges close to home and around the world. No matter how near or far, these troubling realities impact members of our community directly and indirectly. Please keep in mind that the concerns people are dealing with are not always visible so shared empathy and understanding are critical.

While the new academic year is a time for fresh starts, we recognize that there is still much uncertainty. The delta variant has proven highly transmissible and is driving another COVID surge. The public health challenges remain fluid and therefore we must continue to ask for your patience, flexibility, and understanding. As recommendations and guidelines shift at the federal, state, and local levels, we will communicate any changes to Harvard guidelines in a timely and responsible manner. As a reminder, you can always find the most up-to-date information on our Returning to Campus webpage.

In closing, I wish you a healthy and successful academic year. And I ask that you save the date of Tuesday, Oct. 5, from 2 to 3 p.m., for the State of the School address, where I will reflect on the last year and share my vision and priorities for the future.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

As you saw from the University-wide email sent this morning, Harvard is increasing COVID testing cadence requirements in light of the rising number of infections across the Commonwealth and the nation over the past few weeks, primarily associated with the delta variant.

The following testing requirements will take effect Monday, Aug. 9, for those with any on-campus presence: 

• Fully vaccinated: Once per week
• Unvaccinated, including for medical/religious exemptions: Twice per week
• Residents in graduate housing: Consult the HMS Testing Guide for details about additional testing requirements upon arrival.
• Infrequent presence on campus: You are not required to come to campus for the sole purpose of testing; simply test the next time you are on campus.

Consult the HMS Testing Guide for further details and step-by-step instructions on testing eligibility, frequency, creating a Color account, obtaining a test (including the test pickup schedule), administering a test, dropping off a test, and testing compliance.

Please note that the University continues to require masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

As a reminder, you can always find the most up-to-date information on current policies and practical information, including an FAQ, on our Returning to Campus webpage. Thank you for your continued commitment to keeping Harvard and HMS healthy.

Sincerely,

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
I wanted to be sure you saw the email below, which was sent earlier today from Giang Nguyen, executive director of Harvard University Health Services.
 
The email includes important reminders and policy updates that take effect in July:

• July 15: Deadline to receive and verify your COVID-19 vaccination. Please see below for details, including information on the vaccination requirement, appointments available through HUHS, vaccination verification process, exemptions, and information for international students and scholars.
• July 15: Updated distancing requirements take effect. Harvard will no longer require vaccinated individuals to observe physical distancing requirements, either indoors or outdoors. Unvaccinated individuals are still required to maintain physical distancing indoors. Please note that masks are still required indoors regardless of vaccination status.
• July 28: Updated testing requirements/frequencies take effect. Please see below for details on testing cadences for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, as well as information on using Crimson Clear to verify your testing cadence.

The HMS Returning to Campus webpage has been updated to reflect these changes.
 
Sincerely,
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School   

Dear Members of the Harvard Community:

As we continue to plan for the start of the fall semester and the return of more of our faculty, staff, researchers, and students in the weeks ahead, I want to share some reminders and updates.

First, please remember that vaccination against COVID-19 is required by July 15.This applies to all students, faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows who will spend any time on Harvard’s campus this fall. If you have begun your vaccination series but not completed it (i.e., you have had only one dose of a two-dose vaccine), please submit information about what has been completed so we know that your vaccination is in process.

How to Verify Your Vaccination

Thank you to every member of our community who has already verified their COVID vaccination by submitting it to Harvard University Health Services (HUHS). If you haven’t submitted your verification yet, please visit the Verify Your Vaccination webpage and follow the instructions. If you received your vaccine through HUHS, you do not need to submit any information, as HUHS already has your information on file. HUHS keeps individual medical information secure and confidential.

As of July 6, we have full vaccination information for more than 30,000 community members. However, there are many who have not yet submitted verification and have not met the University requirement for doing so. A high vaccination rate is critical as we bring more students, faculty, and staff back to campus, and it will influence campus decisions about our safety guidelines.

Members of the Harvard community can claim exemptions to the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. Students claiming an exemption should complete the Student Vaccine Exemption Form. Faculty, staff, and researchers wishing to note an exemption to the vaccine requirement can do so through Crimson Clear (see below), which you can access from the Verify Your Vaccination webpage. Unvaccinated persons (regardless of the reason) will be subject to additional public health measures, including extra testing, above and beyond what is required of vaccinated individuals.

International Students

For our international students, all vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) or U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will meet the University’s vaccine requirements. For those international students who are not able to receive an authorized vaccine prior to arrival on campus, HUHS will provide opportunities for vaccination (see below).

International students who arrive on campus not fully vaccinated will NOT be barred from move-in or classroom activity, and will NOT need a 14-day quarantine, assuming they have no COVID symptoms and no known recent exposure to a person who tested positive. Testing is required prior to international departure and upon arrival to campus. Instructions and protocols for international students who will arrive not fully vaccinated are available on the For International Students and Scholars page. 

Getting Vaccinated through HUHS

Harvard University Health Services offers vaccinations by appointment. To schedule a vaccination appointment before arrival on campus please see the information on the COVID-19 Vaccine Information page. 

Updated Testing Requirements

COVID testing will remain a part of the University’s ongoing efforts to track and limit the coronavirus within our community. New testing frequency requirements take effect on July 28. Your required testing cadence will be determined by factors including whether you live on or off campus, your vaccination status, and infection rates in the local community.

Updated testing cadences are:

Residents in Undergraduate Housing 

• Vaccinated – once per week
• Unvaccinated – twice per week

Residents in Graduate Housing  

• Vaccinated – every other week
• Unvaccinated – once per week

All other students and employees with any on-campus presence 

• Vaccinated – every other week
• Unvaccinated – once per week

Beginning July 28, each member of the Harvard community can find their updated testing cadence requirement by logging into Crimson Clear. Going forward, you will also receive regular text and email notifications reminding you of your next testing day. More information and detail on the testing requirements is available on the University’s Testing and Tracing webpage.

Updated Distancing Requirements on Campus

As of July 15 the University will no longer require that vaccinated persons observe physical distance requirements, either indoors or outdoors. Unvaccinated persons are still required to maintain physical distancing indoors. As more of our campus community become fully vaccinated, we expect that we will be able to further relax restrictions, including revisiting the indoor mask policy, which remains in place for everyone regardless of vaccination status.

Enhancements to Crimson Clear

Daily use of Crimson Clear is no longer required for those coming to campus. However, the University is now able to use the application to communicate an individual’s testing cadence and to confirm that vaccination information has been received. It can also be used for community members to submit a vaccine exemption. In addition, we ask that you use Crimson Clear to report when you are experiencing COVID symptoms, have a recent exposure to a positive case, or test positive outside of our program. When you do so, HUHS can follow up to provide you with health guidance.

Like all of you, I am looking forward to more of our community working, learning, and living on campus, and the continued increase in on-campus activities.

While the virus continues to have limited presence in our area, it is important that we have in place protocols that will help ensure the health and wellbeing of every member of our community, including community members whose immune systems prevent a full protective response to the vaccine. We must also be aware of the risk posed by the Delta variant, which is spreading rapidly among unvaccinated persons and might mutate further. We appreciate everyone’s commitment to the requirements and protocols that we have in place and will continue to adapt as needed.

We will continue to update you in the weeks ahead as we near the start of the fall semester. And, if you have not done so already, plan your vaccine and verify your vaccination with HUHS.

Sincerely,

Giang T. Nguyen
Executive Director, Harvard University Health Services 

Dear HMS Staff:
 
We are writing to provide an update on Harvard Medical School’s continued reopening and, specifically, about the flexible work arrangement, or flexwork, pilot we will launch for the fall semester.
 
While the University has targeted Aug. 2 as the date when everyone can plan to return to campus, we announced in March that HMS would wait to transition most administrative units—those not directly involved with labs, educational programs, and on-campus services—back to campus in phases starting Sept. 1. Prior to and since that time, we have been planning simultaneously for the near-term flexwork pilot phase and the longer-term future of flexwork, both informed by the feedback you provided as part of the HMS Remote/Flexwork Initiative, by discussions with department and unit leaders, and by guidance from Harvard Human Resources, among others.
 
Over the past year, we have successfully adapted to and identified a continued desire for flexibility in where and how we work. Therefore, as we transition toward the fall, the Flexwork Initiative Committee has recommended the continued piloting of flexwork models with sustained program oversight to track community feedback and the continued structuring and refining of our practices to support longer-term opportunities for flexwork at HMS.
 
Why flexwork?
The future of where and how we work is changing on a global scale. HMS recognizes that flexwork is critical to both retaining and attracting top talent. And we believe flexwork can be a strategic tool to achieve institutional goals, empower employees to do their best work, foster individual and collective well-being, support a diverse and inclusive work environment, maintain business continuity, enable space efficiency, and redefine cultural norms. Based on survey feedback gathered during our Remote/Flexwork Initiative, HMS employees indicated a clear desire to continue hybrid and remote work options post-pandemic: 87% of administrative, education, and dry research survey respondents indicated they would like to work remotely two or more days per week post-pandemic if able and given the choice, while 93% to 96% of supervisors in these areas indicated their teams could work in a hybrid or remote model.
 
Will flexwork apply to me?
Building on the flexwork frameworks and definitions established by the University, we have established HMS-specific workplace models defined as follows and associated with space allocation and supports:

• Primarily On-site: Works 3 to 5 days on-site (weekly average) for typical working hours.
• Hybrid: Works 1 to 2 days on-site (weekly average), with time scheduled between on-campus and remote locations for typical working hours.
• Primarily Remote: Works less than 1 day on-site (weekly average), with the majority of time being remote for typical working hours.

Department and unit leaders will apply these flexwork models to their teams equitably, without bias, and based on their unique business needs, the operational needs of the School, and the nature and duties of an individual’s role and job requirements as part of their team.
 
Based on recent reoccupancy survey results collected from department/unit leaders, members of HMS’ senior administrative leadership team—representing 71% of all administrative staff, including campus planning and facilities, communications, Countway Library, finance, HR, institutional planning and policy, IT, and research administration—have indicated that they anticipate 22% of staff will work primarily remote, 36% hybrid, and 42% primarily on-site as we enter this fall pilot phase.
 
Department and unit leaders are now in the process of finalizing their flexwork pilot plans and will determine the exact start date for this phase, which, for most, will be in or before October 2021. You should expect to hear details from them or from your supervisor soon if you have not already. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your supervisor directly. Once finalized by department/unit leaders, flexwork pilot plans will be collected and tracked by HMS Human Resources and by Campus Planning and Facilities for campus planning purposes. Please note that the approval process is managed at the local leadership department/unit level for this pilot phase.
 
How long will the flexwork pilot run?
The flexwork pilot will launch on a specific date determined by your department/unit leadership or supervisor, which, for most, will be in or before October 2021, and will run for up to 12 months. This is considered a pilot because it will give departments/units, supervisors, and employees the time necessary to experience the flexwork model, identify what’s working and what’s not, and adjust as needed. Ultimately, this test-and-learn pilot phase will help inform decisions about the longer-term future of flexwork at HMS. Therefore, staff should not consider this pilot phase permanent because it may change.
 
Are there additional flexwork resources available?
Yes, the University has several flexwork resources available for staff, as follows: 

• Flexwork at Harvard: This website includes resources, information, guidelines, policy statement, and principles of flexwork arrangements at Harvard.
• Tools and Resources: This collection of information has been compiled to help staff and managers navigate the flexwork process and includes information on ergonomics and disability resources, tips for recognizing and addressing burnout, and work/life and well-being resources and toolkits from the Harvard Center for Workplace Development.
• Working Remotely Courses: Available on the Harvard Training Portal, these modules provide tips on how to increase productivity and stay connected while working remotely.
• Flexible Work Arrangement Documentation: This form is not required by HMS during this flexwork pilot phase, but employees who would like to request other forms of flexwork based on their location or schedule should complete this form and submit it to their supervisor for review.

Where can I find answers to logistical questions on returning to campus, such as parking, public transportation, and testing and vaccine requirements?
We have transformed the HMS coronavirus website into a new resource—Returning to Campus: Information for the HMS Community. There, you can access information on current guidelines on masks and face coverings, physical distancing, events and gatherings, testing, vaccines, and safety protocols, as well as information on parking, public transportation, dining, and other campus services. In addition, you can access the Flexwork Pilot at HMS webpage for detailed information, including answers to frequently asked questions.
 
We hope that this information on HMS’ flexwork pilot is helpful. Thank you again for your continued patience, flexibility, dedication, and resilience over the past 15 months. We wish you a relaxing and restorative summer.
 
Sincerely,
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
 
Simone J. Leary
Chief Human Resources Officer
 
Stephen M. Maiorisi
Chief Campus Planning and Facilities Officer

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) has announced that effective Friday, June 25, vaccinated persons in the Harvard research community (lab and non-lab) and in medical and graduate educational programs whose academic year begins in July, are no longer required to follow physical distancing indoors in situations where distancing negatively impacts scientific or academic progress, and are no longer required to distance outdoors.
 
Masks are still required indoors, and distancing of six feet is required when removing masks to eat indoors. 
 
Please note, this policy currently applies only to those in the research, medical, and graduate education communities. Students and faculty can take advantage of full occupancy of classroom, research, and research support spaces. Unvaccinated persons are required to maintain physical distancing.  
 
Vaccinated members of the Harvard community should submit proof of vaccination to HUHS as soon as possible. University administration continues to evaluate campus vaccination status and relaxation of remaining public health measures.
 
Sincerely,
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

As you read earlier today, Harvard has reassessed its COVID requirements in light of the recent announcement that Massachusetts will lift all remaining restrictions effective this Saturday, May 29. These changes represent a collective optimism and another step forward in the continued reopening of our communities, businesses, and campuses.

Harvard Medical School will follow the health and safety guidelines and protocols outlined in the University message. We encourage you to familiarize yourselves with these changes. Most notably, beginning May 29:

• Crimson Clear daily health attestation is no longer required for those coming to campus.
• Outdoors, those who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to use masks or maintain distancing. For those not yet vaccinated, masks are required only if distance from others cannot be maintained.
• Indoors, Harvard-issued masks are still required, regardless of vaccination status. This policy may be revised when the University receives confirmation of higher community vaccination levels.
• In HMS Quad wet labs, which have 100 percent outside air exchanges, physical distancing is no longer required except in conference rooms, offices, and restrooms. Associated shift work is also no longer necessary; therefore, those working or training in wet labs are invited and welcome to return to campus.
• For all other HMS buildings and spaces, with the exception of HMS Quad wet labs, six-foot physical distancing is still required at this time. This policy is subject to revision when the University receives confirmation of higher community vaccination levels. We implore members of our community to verify your vaccination status as soon as possible with Harvard University Health Services (HUHS). Further instructions are detailed below.
• Testing frequency will be reduced to once per week for those authorized to come to campus for work or academic activities. For those residing on campus, testing will be reduced from three times per week to twice per week (on nonconsecutive days).

Vaccination Requirements

In addition, Harvard is extending its COVID vaccination requirement to all community members, including faculty, staff, postdocs, researchers, and students who will have any on-campus presence. Exemptions will be provided only for medical and religious reasons.

If you have not already done so, please plan to complete your vaccination as soon as possible and submit verification to HUHS by July 15. Already vaccinated? Please submit a copy of your vaccination card via email to mrecords@huhs.harvard.edu, or use one of the encrypted options described on the University’s Verify Your Vaccination webpage. Prompt verification of your vaccine status is critical because these data directly impact further relaxation of distancing guidelines and other Harvard protocols. Those who have been vaccinated by HUHS do not need to submit such documentation, as it is already on file there.

HMS Buildings and Services

As more members of our community return to campus, we continue to monitor our campus buildings and services—custodial, dining, parking, security, transportation, etc.—and adjust them as necessary. Please note that as of June 2, our security stations will return to pre-COVID schedules, and all unstaffed building entrances will be accessible via card swipe. We anticipate that by June 14 our custodial cleaning services will also return to pre-COVID schedules and protocols. For updated information and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the HMS coronavirus webpage.

It’s important to note that we have not yet reopened all HMS buildings, particularly those that house programs and units still working predominantly remotely. We are concentrating on the full return of wet labs at this time, and more information will be sent about other buildings, programs, and units, including dry labs, education programs, and administrative units, as soon as it is available.

Fall Semester Planning

As you know, planning for the fall semester, which for HMS begins in early July given the year-long nature of our education programs, is well underway. Department, office, and unit leaders are working diligently to determine and communicate the most appropriate work arrangements and timing based on their specific business needs and on guidelines from Harvard Human Resources. Therefore, we do not expect—and you should not expect—everyone to return to campus next week or next month if they are still working remotely and are not required on campus to support our research, educational programs, or campus activities and services. There will be variability in plans and timing across and even within each unit depending on the requirements of the work itself and on various interdependencies.

We are grateful to be rounding this corner, and we thank you for your commitment and resilience over the past 14 months. None of this has been easy. But it is amazing how the glimmer of tomorrow can help offset the challenges of yesterday.

Wishing you a relaxing and restorative long holiday weekend.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear HMS Faculty, Staff, and Postdocs:

Thank you to those who attended our last Town Hall meeting and to those who submitted questions in advance, which became the centerpiece of our discussion. We covered a lot of ground, but recognize that the hour went by quickly.

Today we are following up to provide written answers to the questions raised on the following topics: HMS’ continued reopening, flexible work arrangements, vaccines, testing, travel, and quarantine protocols. You can find these answers in the new FAQ section of the HMS coronavirus website. The site also now reflects the most up-to-date School, University, state, and federal guidelines and policies.

Each of you plays an important role in HMS’ continued progress and contributes to our mission in action. We should all feel proud of how well the School has managed through the pandemic to date. We have sustained our research and education programs at a remarkable level of excellence, all while keeping the campus safe. We thank both those who have been working on campus or will return in the coming months to support our research, educational programs, and in-person activities and those who have been working remotely and will continue to do so until HMS is able to safely accommodate broader campus access beginning Sept. 1, 2021. We pride ourselves on inclusive excellence and know that each of you is committed to doing your best, no matter where you work.

As we continue our simultaneous planning for this next phase of work and the longer-term future of flexible work, we understand that the workplace will look different from how it did prior to the pandemic. Like institutions across the country, we recognize the culture shift toward workplace flexibility and its associated benefits. Planning is underway by department, office, and unit leaders to determine the most appropriate work arrangements based on their specific business needs. Therefore, we recognize there will be variability across and even within each unit depending on the requirements of the work itself and on various interdependencies.

This planning will be supported by guidance from HMS Human Resources and administrative leadership, as well as by Harvard Human Resources. A toolkit, managers’ guide, and other resources will be shared in May. We understand and appreciate that we are all experimenting and that the pilots for our transition will inform our future. The framework ultimately developed will be informed by the valuable feedback you provided as part of the HMS Remote Work Initiative. There will be more opportunities for feedback in the future.

It is important to acknowledge that the situation continues to evolve and, therefore, our planning and guidance will adjust accordingly. There will be times when we won’t have the answers and when we have to change decisions and directions. Please know that everyone is doing their very best, and we ask for your continued patience, understanding, and flexibility.

Brighter days are ahead, in large part because of the dedication and resilience this community has demonstrated over the past year. We look forward to emerging from these challenging times together.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear HMS Faculty, Staff, and Postdocs:

We have come a long way since last March, and there is cause for optimism. The days are getting longer and brighter. The weather is feeling warmer. Vaccination rates are rising. Businesses and public schools are reopening. And, as you read in today’s message from the University, Harvard schools and units are actively planning their return to campus.

Today we write with an update on the plans and timelines for Harvard Medical School’s continued reopening. In doing so, we ask for your continued patience, empathy, and understanding. We currently intend to have faculty, staff, postdocs, and students return to campus more fully for the fall term, to the extent allowed by the evolving public health situation.

Our continued transition back to campus will be done in phases to help keep everyone safe, comply with state and University guidelines, manage our finite resources, and accommodate the many complex and concurrent moving pieces. This includes everything from refreshing HVAC systems, flushing potable water lines, and reviewing environmental health and safety protocols to assessing IT needs, determining room capacities, and aligning facilities, custodial, and other campus services.

After a year of remote work, it’s clear that our pre-pandemic work paradigms will need to change. We acknowledge that many of you who are working remotely are eager to come back to campus, and there are also many of you who are feeling some reluctance. Should you experience anxiety, you can find health and well-being resources on the Harvard coronavirus and HMS coronavirus websites.

Anticipated Reopening Plans & Timelines

• Research/Lab Activities: Thanks to our essential workers and the astute planning of our HMS Lab Ramp-up Committee and Business Continuity Task Force, Quad wet labs reopened, with reduced personnel density, last June. Wet lab facilities will increase density in phases over the coming months in concert with anticipated changes to lab density guidelines from the state and the University. We are concurrently preparing for a phased reopening of dry labs. Our COVID-19 Advisory Team will continue to monitor the School’s safety reporting process, address concerns and issues of noncompliance, and support lab personnel, postdocs, PIs, and departments. As a reminder, issues of noncompliance that cannot be addressed at the department level can be submitted anonymously via HMS’ online reporting form (must be logged in to VPN). 
   
• Education Programs: First-year medical students returned to campus in January after starting their fall term remotely, meeting in person for skill-based didactic programs while most other courses continue to be held remotely. We are working with medical education program leaders to accommodate additional in-person courses this spring and a broader reopening in August. Graduate programs continue to be held remotely, with the exception of students working in labs and select courses and career development programs that have been approved to be held in person this spring and summer. Planning is underway to accommodate both residential and remote courses and in-person research this fall. Programs offered through our Office for External Education will remain remote through the end of 2021.
   
• Administrative Units: Many HMS staff are already back on campus to support wet lab research, educational programs, and on-campus activities, and many more will return in the coming months as we increase lab densities and in-person classes. Those offices and units whose work does not require staff to be on campus will be the last to return so we can accommodate and adapt to these density increases. Therefore, HMS will wait to transition back to campus most administrative units—those not directly involved with labs, educational programs, and on-campus activities—in phases starting Sept. 1. You may be wondering about the expectations for flexibility and future remote work. Many departments, offices, and units will be exploring options, and this will be the topic of numerous upcoming discussions, including in our next administrative forum for unit leaders, which will be scheduled for late April. This planning will dovetail with the valuable feedback you provided as part of the HMS Remote Work Initiative, which will help inform the framework we ultimately develop.
   
• Campus Resources & Services: As we invite more students, postdocs, faculty, and staff to campus, we will continue to align campus resources and services accordingly. Last December, the newly renovated Countway Library began offering online reservations to students looking for weekday study space. Reservations will expand to include Saturdays in April, and plans are underway to begin increasing capacity in the fall or sooner if possible. We are working to establish small group study spaces on campus for students within the next two weeks. On-campus quiet work space at 180 Longwood continues to be available for dry science programs through their department administrators. Dining services are available at the Elements and Courtyard Cafés and will continue to expand. We continue to monitor and adapt to evolving needs around parking and transportation to and from the Longwood Medical Area. The Joseph B. Martin Conference Center remains closed, and planning will commence this summer for a tentative reopening in January 2022.

As you can see, our continued phased reopening is complex due to the size and scope of the HMS enterprise. Thus, additional requests for on-campus space and group activities must be submitted by department and unit leaders to the Space Occupancy Request Team for review via the campus access request form (must be logged in to VPN). Questions may be forwarded to Room Scheduling prior to submission via the request form. Please note that we are exploring the possibility of holding certain priority events on campus beginning later this summer, and these decisions will depend on guidelines for public gatherings, cost, and staff resources.

Vaccines, Testing & Public Health Guidelines

As members of the HMS community, each of us has a personal responsibility to support the health, safety, and well-being of others in our community. Those coming to campus are expected to follow our community compact, which was established to address the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, foster an environment of trust, and align with our mission and community values. The compact requires individuals to follow established health and safety guidelines, including directives issued by state and local governments, as well as by HMS and the University.

Updates on vaccine availability, University protocols, and travel policies were shared in a community message last week from Dr. Giang Nguyen, executive director of Harvard University Health Services. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the information shared in this message, as well as with the referenced Gazette Q&A. As you will see, current guidelines require daily completion of the Crimson Clear health attestation, testing at the assigned frequency, physical distancing, and mask-wearing in campus buildings—all of which must be followed by everyone on campus, regardless of vaccination status. We understand this may be frustrating for those who have been vaccinated already, but we prefer this minor inconvenience to the potential risk and impact on our essential workers and other members of the community who have not yet been vaccinated.

Thank you for your patience, for your resilience, and for taking care of those around you. We look forward to seeing you at the virtual Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, March 30, from 2-3 p.m. The Zoom link will be sent prior to the event. In the meantime, you may submit questions in advance to Jennifer Ryan at jennifer_ryan2@hms.harvard.edu.
 
Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

One year ago today, I convened a meeting at HMS to bring together key physicians and scientists across the commonwealth, joined by colleagues in China via videoconference, to organize a formal, integrated effort to confront COVID-19. This was part of Harvard President Larry Bacow’s commitment, following a request from China Evergrande Group Chairman Hui Ka Yan, to have the University community respond to the emerging health and humanitarian crisis.

At the meeting on March 2, 2020, I shared details of China Evergrande Group’s planned commitment to fund Harvard and the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health (GIRH), under the direction of our esteemed colleague Dr. Nanshan Zhong, to advance research on the scale and scope needed to meet this extraordinary challenge. The HMS-led Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness(MassCPR) was born.

Now a multi-institutional collaboration, MassCPR encompasses hundreds of researchers, physician-scientists, clinicians, and public health experts representing world-leading academic, hospital, biopharma, and public-health institutions based in Massachusetts. We are joined by collaborators at GIRH and other institutions in China, and throughout the crisis, we have consulted with colleagues across the globe, including in India, Italy, Germany, and South Africa. The consortium’s shared goals are twofold: To turn the tide of this current pandemic and to create a rapid-response system to address future emerging pathogens.

Last May, following a request for proposals that elicited more than 400 applications, over $16.5 million in funding was awarded to MassCPR researchers at 38 institutions to support 62 high-impact research projects selected for their potential to influence clinical outcomes in patients and populations within a year.

These projects represent the consortium’s six priorities and working group areas: clinical disease management and outcomes, diagnostics, epidemiology, pathogenesis, therapeutics, and vaccine development. These awards were made possible by the first tranche of funding from China Evergrande Group and generous donors to MassCPR and the HMS COVID-19 Response and Research Fund. Our most recent tally shows that MassCPR has funded $17.6 million in research, and we are now seeking additional funding to keep this critical work and momentum going.

I am proud of the progress MassCPR has made. I want to acknowledge and thank the MassCPR leadership team—David Golan, who co-chairs our executive committee; Arlene Sharpe and Bruce Walker, our faculty co-leaders; Willy Lensch, our executive director; and David Hwang, HMS’ chief research operations officer—our working group and steering committee leaders, and our administrative team for their hard work and determination and for enabling our progress.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a watershed moment in human history and a rallying cry to those of us who have dedicated our lives and careers to science and medicine. So many essential workers, students, nurses, respiratory therapists, physicians, and researchers have demonstrated the best of what it means to be in service to others through medicine. They have shown what can be accomplished when we come together in the spirit of collaboration, above individual priorities.

The pandemic has also reminded us of harsh and sobering lessons about the inadequacies of our health care system and of the critical role of social determinants in patient outcomes. We must go beyond recognizing the impact of these economic and social conditions and commit to further understanding and addressing the root causes.

There is much more work to be done. And there’s no community better able to confront the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. As we enter the second year of the pandemic, I want to acknowledge the personal struggles each of you has had to face; I know it has not been easy. Thank you for all your hard work, for your resilience, for taking care of those around you, and for your continued vigilance in following public health guidelines.

There are indeed brighter days ahead.

Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
Like so many of you, I began 2021 full of hope. The extended winter break provided an opportunity to reflect on the silver linings that have emerged amidst the black clouds of the pandemic. I am optimistic that we will leverage these lessons to create a new path forward that is even more intensely focused on our mission and community values. 
 
My hope wavered this week as I watched the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol and witnessed the lawless attempt to disrupt the democratic electoral process. These events have left me reeling, as they manifest a contemptuous disregard for the constitutional principles that we must all respect if our government and our society are to function. Moreover, these actions and the sentiments that provoked them stand in stark contrast to my personal values and the values we espouse as members of the HMS community, chief among them diversity and respect, and integrity and accountability. We will sometimes disagree and challenge one another, but we must always do so respectfully and peacefully. 
 
I’m concerned that the events of the past few days may distract us from other, even more urgent threats to our community. With COVID cases rising and reports of a more transmissible strain in our midst, we need to remain vigilant. Now, more than ever, we must do all we can to thwart the spread of the virus. That means—despite our common weariness and frustration—maintaining strict adherence to mask wearing, hand hygiene, and physical distancing. Our community has done an admirable job of complying with these protocols and being respectful of one another. I am grateful for your continued commitment to following public health guidelines and to protecting your family, friends, neighbors, classmates, and colleagues. For those of you coming to campus, I urge you to revisit our community compact.
 
Vaccines promise an end to this pandemic, and some members of our community with hospital affiliations are now being vaccinated. While I wish HMS had immediate access to vaccines for each and every member of our community, at present we do not. However, we are working closely with Harvard University Health Services and our affiliated hospitals to ensure fair and timely distribution in accordance with the CDC and Commonwealth guidelines.
 
The vaccine rollout has been slower than hoped, but I beg for your continued patience. I will inform the community as soon as I know more about the wider availability of vaccines. For those who do get vaccinated, please continue to wear masks and exercise caution, as there is currently no evidence that the vaccine prevents asymptomatic carriage and potential spread of virus to others. Testing also continues to be required for those who need access to campus. 
 
I am immensely proud of the contributions of clinicians and scientists across the HMS community during the present COVID-19 crisis: to vaccine and therapeutics development, development of novel diagnostics, understanding of disease pathogenesis, formulation of practice guidelines, and advocacy for public health. Equally important has been the dedicated service to our community by so many administrators and staff members who have kept HMS functioning and safe. You have proven through your selflessness that you honor, respect, and embrace our community and our values. Thank you so much.
 
Each new year presents us with 12 new chapters and 365 new chances to make a difference in our world. I wish you all the best in achieving your personal goals this year, and I look forward to what we will accomplish together.
 
Be well, be safe.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

As I highlighted in my comments at yesterday’s virtual Town Hall, the HMS community has come together over the past year and, more than ever before, acted in service to others. There are numerous unsung heroes in our midst, and I thank each and every one of you for your selflessness, generosity and resiliency in the face of the tremendous challenges that the pandemic has set before us.
 
At yesterday’s meeting, we recognized three staff members who epitomize exceptional service to the HMS mission. Rebecca Caruso, director of the Committee on Microbiological Safety and of the Office of Biological Safety, and Rob Dickson, director of campus services, both received the Daniel D. Federman Staff Award for Exceptional Institutional Service. Audrey Haas, executive director of external education, received the Joseph B. Martin Dean’s Leadership Award for the Advancement of Women Staff.
 
Congratulations to Rebecca, Rob and Audrey on this well-deserved recognition. I also want to congratulate the Joint Committee on the Status of Women for receiving the 2020 Leadership Award for an Organization from the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Group on Women in Medicine and Science. This is an impressive and worthy honor.
 
In this week’s Voices from the Community video, we highlight the Harvard Catalyst Community Engagement Program and its work to improve community health and health equity. Program Faculty Lead Karen Emmons of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health interviews fourth-year HMS medical student Morgan Sehdev about her work with The Community Builders (TCB) to address the medical and social needs of people in Boston housing communities. They are joined by TCB leaders Elizabeth González Suárez, vice president of community life, and Anne Vinick, director of community life for New England. The video highlights the important work being done to support our neighbors.



Last night I learned about a holiday community fundraiser organized by our medical students, including Shawn Johnson, Madeleine Kline, Tyler LeComer and members of the HMS Racial Justice Coalition and HMS/HSDM Student Council. In response to the severe impact COVID-19 is having on our local community, the students are raising money for Action for Boston Community Development’s emergency Winter Fund, providing holiday meals, warm clothes, blankets and other essentials to families in Roxbury, Dorchester and neighboring communities. If you would like to contribute to this fundraiser, click here for the GoFundMe page.
 
I continue to be inspired by the spirit and kindness of our community. Thank you for all you do.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
I hope you had a relaxing and restorative Thanksgiving holiday. As we inch closer to winter break, I hope you will plan to join me for two important events next week. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, from noon - 1 p.m., the HMS-led Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness will hold a public briefing on COVID-19 vaccines. And on Thursday, Dec. 10, our HMS Town Hall will be held from 2 - 3 p.m. (Zoom link to come).
 
I also request your continued vigilance. COVID cases have been spiking nationally, regionally and locally, including at Harvard Medical School. This is not the time to be complacent. The most effective things we can do to control the spread of the disease are to wear masks, wash hands and maintain physical distance. I appreciate your continued commitment to following these public health guidelines and to protecting your family, friends, neighbors, classmates and colleagues.
 
Speaking of colleagues, this week I am pleased to highlight the work of our HMS Office for External Education. Our executive, online, postgraduate and public-facing education programs have grown markedly over the last six years. I applaud the team’s efforts to deliver expert, reliable medical knowledge to diverse learners across the globe, especially this year amid the challenges of the pandemic.
 
In this Voices from the Community video, Dean for External Education David Roberts talks with Urmila Parlikar at Harvard Health Publishing about the Coronavirus Resource Center; with Tami Bolk and Ameris Davis about transitioning Postgraduate Medical Education courses to a remote format; and with Kevin Tucker about a new health care disparities webinar series.


 
I hope you enjoy this video, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS and HSDM Community:

We are inching closer to the end of the calendar year and wanted to share some important updates on plans for the weeks and months ahead. In line with the email sent earlier today from Executive Vice President Katie Lapp, those HMS and HSDM faculty, staff and postdocs who have been working productively from home—representing administrative departments and units, dry labs and some educational programs—will continue to work remotely through June 30, 2021. This deliberate approach will allow us to continue to address the health and safety of our communities while also advancing our academic and research enterprise.

Public health guidelines continue to limit the capacity of our physical spaces, which we therefore must prioritize for required in-person activities such as wet lab research and clinical education. Given this, for spring 2021 (January through June), MD, DMD and dental advanced graduate education programs will follow a hybrid model, with didactic material taught and learned via Zoom, while physical exams, clinical skills, hands-on laboratory exercises and research in labs, and certain other course content will be conducted in person. All master’s degree and PhD classes will continue to be offered online only, with the exception of lab, clinical research and other integral components which may take place in person. External education programs, courses, workshops and events will continue remotely.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 cases are once again surging in Massachusetts and across the country. Although encouraging news broke earlier this week about the effectiveness of Pfizer’s vaccine candidate, we await more complete data. Even in a best-case scenario of accelerated Emergency Use Authorization, it will likely be months before a vaccine is widely available. It is imperative that we each remain vigilant and continue to both avoid the virus and protect our community through mask wearing and physical distancing. Students and essential employees on campus must continue to follow the weekly self-administered testing protocols required by the University. 

As you consider any upcoming travel, including over the holidays, please refer to Harvard’s updated policy outlining COVID-19 testing and quarantine requirements upon your return to campus. This guidance assumes that all community members will also follow the Massachusetts Travel Order. Speaking of the holidays, we are thrilled with the news of Harvard’s extended winter recess, which will now begin on Monday, Dec. 21. We hope this well-deserved, two-week break will give us all an opportunity to unwind and recharge at a time when it is needed most.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

William V. Giannobile
Dean
Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Dear Members of the HMS, HSDM and Harvard Chan School Community:

Your health and safety remain our top priorities. In a University-wide email message earlier this week, Vice President for Human Resources Marilyn Hausammann and Executive Director of Harvard University Health Services Giang Nguyen shared resources for health and well-being, outlined Harvard’s continued commitment to health and safety measures and presented opportunities for engaging in community dialogue.

We know this has been a challenging and uncertain time. We hope you will prioritize your personal health and well-being and take advantage of those helpful University resources as well as these additional local resources:

• Harvard Longwood Campus Office of Employee Development & Wellness: Offers programs, trainings, resources and events, including resources on how to manage life during the pandemic and sessions on balancing work and home and staying resilient while facing uncertainty. Also available are the office’s Election Support Resources and Work/Life Resources for employees and postdocs.
   
• Ombuds Office: Helps all members of the HMS, HSDM and Harvard Chan School community address issues affecting their work or studies, including bias in its many forms. The Ombuds Office is independent by design and provides highly confidential, impartial and informal support for clarifying concerns, identifying goals and considering all options for managing or resolving issues. Services include conflict coaching; informal mediation; education about resources and policies; bringing systemic trends and issues to leadership; and training on topics including negotiation and conflict management, authorship best practices and difficult conversations.
   
• Counseling and Mental Health Services: Provides care exclusively to students in the form of individual remote visits and group therapy, no matter where you may be living during the pandemic. Check out the many virtual workshops and groups here.
   
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Provides free, confidential help for all Harvard employees, postdocs and their adult household members. You can reach the EAP at any time for personal or work-related concerns at 877-EAP-HARV (877-327-4278) or by visiting the EAP website. 

As we near Election Day on Tuesday, we want to encourage everyone to vote. For the U.S. election, you can find information about voting by visiting the Harvard Votes Challenge website. Harvard policy allows employees and postdocs to take time off with pay if needed to vote on Election Day. Thank you in advance to managers and teaching faculty for your understanding and flexibility in allowing time for students, staff, postdocs and faculty to vote.

While we understand that many of you may want to gather with friends, colleagues and classmates on campus next week, we must balance that wish with our commitment to keeping everyone safe by doing our part to prevent COVID-19 infections amid the real concerns of community exposure. We therefore want to remind everyone that the Harvard Longwood Campus is considered closed with the exception of those lab personnel, essential staff, postdocs, students and dental patients who are authorized and have received an exception to be in HMS, HSDM or Harvard Chan School buildings. Our indoor and outdoor spaces are not available for in-person celebrations or demonstrations.

In lieu of in-person gatherings, we have put together virtual community spaces next week and resources for each school population. You can access them here: Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

In addition, the University and several Harvard schools are running election-related events, including: Voting, Participation, and Why it Matters Webinar on Oct. 29, Community Dialogue Series: Bush v Gore 20 Years in Retrospect and Election Day Primer on Oct. 30, Election 2020: What Just Happened? and Post-Election Community Space for All on Nov. 5 and First Rainbow Coalition: Film and Discussion on Nov. 6.

We hope these resources and guidelines are helpful. We are thinking of you and are grateful for your commitment to the health, safety and well-being of our Longwood Campus community.

Sincerely,
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School
 
Charles Frizzell
Dean for Administration and Finance
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
 
Katherine A. Hope
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Dear HMS Quad Faculty, Staff and Postdocs:

I am writing to provide some important details on COVID-19 testing for those who are authorized to be on campus for four hours or more per week.

As previously announced, Harvard has partnered with the Broad Institute and Color, a health technology and services company, to manage testing and contact tracing. Two weeks ago, the University transitioned to using the Color platform for observed testing at its designated sites, including the New Research Building and Harvard Stadium. Consequently, some members of the HMS community received an “ineligible to test” communication from Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) because they had not yet been enrolled on the Color platform.

We want to clarify that, in accordance with University testing policies, testing is available only to HMS students, postdocs and employees who are authorized by their HMS department or unit to be in campus buildings for four hours or more per week, and to students living in Vanderbilt Hall. At present, those who are employed by or have a primary academic appointment at a hospital or affiliated institution are ineligible for Harvard testing.

The only current exception to this rule is for hospital employees who have been cleared by HMS departments and are included on HMS wet lab Phase-2/Phase-2B ramp-up personnel lists and plans. Limited testing for medical and graduate students living and working off-campus is being considered, and final guidance will be sent to students later this week. Information on alternative testing sites is available here for those ineligible for Harvard testing.

Please be aware that only those who are eligible for Harvard testing will be able to register for a Color account, schedule a testing appointment or be tested. Those deemed ineligible will be directed back to their department or unit administrator for resolution.

As a reminder, currently only initial viral testing is required for those approved to be on campus. However, Harvard will be transitioning to unobserved, self-administered, recurring testing via Color beginning the week of Sept. 14. Those members of our community who are eligible for Harvard testing will receive an email soon with more details about this transition and process.

We apologize for any confusion, delays and frustrations these testing policies may have caused. Please know that we are working with department and unit administrators, HMS IT, HUIT and HUHS to ensure that all eligible HMS personnel are able to access Harvard testing. To help streamline this process, we are asking all HMS Quad faculty, staff and postdocs who are authorized to be on campus to adhere to the “know before you go” guidelines below.

Thank you for your understanding and for your commitment to keeping HMS safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: COVID-19 TESTING

The following guidelines apply only to members of the HMS community who are authorized to be on campus to live, learn or work for four or more hours per week and, therefore, are eligible for Harvard testing.

• Create your Color account. If you have not already done so, create a Color account using your Harvard email before arriving at a test location. This will expedite the process, since a Color account is now required for testing. If you need assistance with setting up your Color account, email support@color.com. If you believe you are authorized to be on campus but are denied access to create a Color account, please notify your department or unit administrator, as this will need to be resolved before you can schedule an appointment, be tested on site or access a test kit once unobserved testing begins.
   
• Understand your testing frequency. Currently only initial viral testing—within 2 to 3 days prior to or after the date of return to campus, but no later than two weeks after arrival—is required for those approved to be on campus, with the exception of students living in Vanderbilt Hall, who are required to have recurring weekly tests. Harvard will be transitioning to unobserved, self-administered, recurring testing via Color beginning the week of Sept. 14. Those members of our community who are eligible for Harvard testing will receive an email soon with more details about this transition and process.
   
• Save time on testing day. Right before going to the test site, sign in to your Color account and click to “Activate a Kit.” Answer all of the questions until you see an image of a test tube vial prompting you to enter a series of numbers. These numbers will be provided to you at the testing site.
   
• Use Crimson Clear every day you are on campus. Before arriving on campus every day, complete a symptom attestation through the Crimson Clear web page. If you are cleared, you will receive a “clear” pass, which is valid for 23 hours. If you are not cleared, an HUHS clinician will call you during regular business hours to determine next steps before you can enter a Harvard facility (those living in Vanderbilt Hall will not be barred from their residence).
   
• Access only designated spaces. The HMS campus is considered closed to all except those who are authorized and have received an exception to be on campus. These authorized individuals should remain in the spaces designated for their work and/or learning.
   
• Keep Harvard healthy. Check out these resources for reducing the risk and spread of COVID-19, as well as managing fear, anxiety and stress. Additionally, please adhere to room capacity signs posted inside campus buildings. Informal outdoor gatherings are limited to no more than 10 people, who must adhere to physical distancing guidelines of at least six feet apart. Face coverings are also required on campus, inside and outside.

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

We are writing to share additional details following the University-wide email sent yesterday. Before we do, let us first give a warm welcome to the members of our MD Class of 2024, who started their coursework remotely on Monday and will wrap up their first week with a virtual White Coat ceremony on Friday at 1:30 p.m. We would be honored to have you join us.

The fall semester at HMS is distinct from many other Harvard schools given the 12-month, hands-on nature of our research and education programs. The new term has just started for some, is well underway for others—including some master’s, executive, certificate and continuing education programs and cohorts of medical students who have been on rotations in the hospitals since June and July—and will begin later this month for additional master’s programs and PhD students.
 
And while many are working and learning remotely this semester—including entering students in courses across all of our educational programs—our returning students, wet lab personnel and essential staff are back on campus. Therefore, the safety and health of our community is a top priority.
 
COMMUNITY COMPACT

As members of the HMS community, each of us has a personal responsibility to support the health, safety and well-being of others in our community. To address the unique challenges of managing the COVID-19 pandemic and to foster an environment of trust, aligned with our mission and community values, we ask the following of each of you: 

• Recognize that access to campus is a privilege that requires advance approval, and access privileges may be revoked if the health and safety guidelines established by HMS and Harvard University are not followed.
   
• Follow the established health and safety guidelines when coming to campus, including directives issued by national, state and local governments, as well as by HMS and Harvard University.
   
• Understand that authorization to come to campus requires that you accept certain practices, like mask-wearing, that may run counter to your personal preferences.
   
• Acknowledge that our behavior must set an example of respect for others, honesty, integrity and accountability.

CAMPUS ACCESS

We are not inviting everybody back to campus at this time. The HMS campus is considered closed to all except wet lab personnel, essential staff and students who are authorized to be on campus, each of whom has received an exception. As previously communicated, all other HMS personnel will continue to work remotely through at least the end of December. There is an established approval process for those seeking episodic access to campus buildings, starting with obtaining prior approval from your department or unit designee.

CAMPUS REQUIREMENTS & TESTING

To keep Harvard as healthy as possible, all members of our community who will be on campus must adhere to public health measures and participate fully in University programs to control the spread of COVID-19, including the seven steps—travel orders and return-to-campus policies, training, testing, testing result guidance, Crimson Clear health attestation, contact tracing and quarantine requirements, and being accessible—outlined in yesterday’s University-wide email.

Among these important steps is the requirement for initial and recurring COVID-19 testing. Those who will live, work or have a regular presence on campus (four hours or more per week) are required to take an initial test immediately upon arrival on campus and then to adhere to a required frequency of testing as outlined in the University’s testing policy.

Initial and recurring viral testing is available weekly on Wednesdays at the HMS New Research Building and Tuesdays at Harvard Stadium. Click here to schedule a no-cost viral test with Harvard University Health Services and to learn more, including where to go and what to expect.

On Aug. 16, Harvard plans to transition to a new streamlined and convenient testing protocol. Harvard has partnered with the Broad Institute and Color, a health technology and services company, for unobserved self-collection. Color will notify individuals of their testing schedule and send reminders. Individuals will receive a testing kit from Color that contains a nasal swab and a prelabeled, barcoded tube in which to place the specimen. More information will be communicated as it becomes available.

We will continue to provide updates to guide your work and learning. We also recognize that this continues to be a challenging time. Now, more than ever, we must look out for and support one another. Thank you for your commitment to our students, postdocs, staff and faculty and for keeping HMS safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
When we consider ideas and perspectives beyond our own, we increase our pace of progress and impact exponentially. This is especially true in science and medicine, and is one reason why the targeting of international students is an affront to our community, our work and our values.
 
I was encouraged by Harvard President Larry Bacow’s email supporting international students, sent yesterday in response to the announcement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding proposed updates to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. I am proud of the University’s leadership and vigorous action in fighting this ICE order via a lawsuit to seek a temporary restraining order prohibiting its enforcement.
 
I want to reaffirm HMS’ commitment to our international students: You are part of our school’s DNA and integral members of our community. It is heartrending that you are faced with this uncertainty. Please know that we are working fervently with our University colleagues to find answers and solutions to ensure that you can continue to advance your education, uninterrupted.
 
It has now been a month since we began the phased reopening of our wet labs. Over the coming weeks, these labs will be steadily increasing their capacity in alignment with state and University guidelines. It has been a massive, coordinated undertaking by our faculty, staff, postdocs and students.
 
While we continue to ramp up our research activities, all other office staff who have been working productively from home—representing administrative departments and units, educational programs, dry labs, etc.—will continue to work remotely. We anticipate this recommendation will remain in place through the end of December. Rest assured that we will reevaluate frequently based on the most current information about COVID-19 activity in our midst. This deliberate approach will allow us to continue to address the health and safety of our community, while also advancing our academic and research enterprise.
 
In this week’s Voices from the Community video, Center for Comparative Medicine Executive Director Brian Corning interviews veterinary staff member Lindsey Lattinville and animal care facility manager Kerri MacGillivray. They discuss what they’ve learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, what’s changed in their work, what’s surprised them and how the lab ramp-up is progressing.


 
Finally, I hope you will join us for the Dean’s Community Service Awards virtual ceremony on Monday, July 20, at noon. I look forward to this year’s event as we recognize 11 individuals whose dedication and commitment to community service has made a positive impact locally, nationally or internationally. They are truly inspiring.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS and HSDM Communities:
 
We write today to share more details and timelines for the phased reopening of HMS and HSDM laboratory facilities in alignment with both the University’s and state’s reopening plans.
 
On Monday, June 8, HMS and HSDM Quad-based wet labs are permitted to transition to Phase-1 of the ramp-up plan. This stage includes the reentry of key personnel required to restart research projects. When individual labs complete this stage, they should consult with their department chair and research administrator for approval to transition to Phase-2. This stage includes all research and support personnel in wet labs with approved lab reentry plans.
 
Harvard lab personnel must complete the Lab COVID-19 Awareness Training and all other personnel must complete the COVID-19 Safety Awareness Training before returning to campus. Additionally, all individuals who are authorized to be on site must complete the COVID-19 screening certification on Harvard’s health-reporting website, Crimson Clear, daily in order to enter campus buildings.
 
All other personnel—representing administrative departments and units, educational programs, dry labs, etc.—will continue to work remotely at least through the end of August, with possible extension to December or later, depending on the course of the pandemic.
 
HMS personnel should refer to this important lab reopening information about training, occupational health, parking, building and lab entry, masks, lab cleaning procedures, use of common spaces and more. A reopening FAQ will be available soon to address the questions that have been raised during our Town Hall meetings, as well as the results of the survey and listening sessions initiated by the Lab Ramp-up Committee. HSDM personnel will receive more specific guidance soon regarding HSDM’s lab ramp-up plans.
 
We understand that many faculty, staff, postdocs and students are eager to return to their labs and work, while others are apprehensive. We are ramping up our research facilities after considerable planning and careful attention to balancing productivity and safety. There are bound to be unanticipated issues that arise. Therefore, now more than ever, we request that you look out for and support one another, provide us with your feedback and share any concerns. As members of a community we must each make a firm commitment to patience, collaboration and compassion.
 
In closing, we want to thank our core staff, including custodial, facilities, mail services, parking and security, who have done a superb job of caring for our campus during this challenging time and continue to work diligently for the return of wet lab research to campus. Your work forms the foundation upon which we can advance our critical mission of research, education and service. Thank you for all you do.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Vicki Rosen
Interim Dean
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School
 
Anne E. Becker
Dean for Clinical and Academic Affairs
Harvard Medical School
 
Charles Frizzell
Dean for Administration and Finance
Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

I look forward to commencement week every year, when we honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating medical, dental, master’s and PhD students. Even more so this year, graduation is a testament to our students’ hard work, creativity and perseverance. Please join me in congratulating the Class of 2020 and thanking them for all that they have done and will do as exemplars of our mission and in service to the world.

Today, the University-wide commencement starts at 11 a.m. Our HMS master’s graduation ceremony begins at 12:30 p.m. and includes a keynote by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute president and CEO and HMS alumna Laurie Glimcher, followed by the HMS/HSDM Class Day ceremony at 2 p.m. with a keynote by astronaut, engineer, surgeon and HMS HST program alumnus Robert Satcher Jr. Visit the HMS graduation webpage to watch the ceremonies and find student profiles, updates and other information.

Speaking of our students, I hope you will enjoy this week’s Voices from the Community video. It features Dean for Graduate Education Rosalind Segal and Associate Dean for Graduate Education Johanna Gutlerner interviewing three graduate students: PhD student Lauren Kershberg and master’s students Summit Puri, who graduates today, and Ugochukwu “Hugo” Uzoeghelu. Congratulations, Summit!

Finally, I want to thank you for your patience as we continue to work through plans to reopen our campus, starting with our laboratory operations. I know that many of our researchers are anxious to get back to their benches, but the requirements for reentry are complex and must be coordinated with the University and the state. Please know that we have a dedicated faculty and staff committee working tirelessly to provide a strategy that balances access and safety. We will have more details and timelines to share soon.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS and HSDM Research Communities:

We are writing as co-chairs of the Lab Ramp-Up Committee. Over the past few weeks, this committee has been planning for the ramp-up of on-campus operations for wet lab research efforts at HMS and HSDM. As an initial step, we sent out a survey to gather your input and help us better understand your concerns. Over 1,200 members of our community completed the survey, and those responses have been instrumental to our planning. We are pleased to share a summary of the survey findings with you.

Among the issues identified as most concerning were transportation (public transit, parking options, M2 shuttle, etc.); personal protective equipment (supply of PPE, personal safety in the labs, guidance on face coverings, mask and glove disposal, etc.); and testing (testing strategy, contact tracing, etc.). The committee recognizes the importance of respecting the range of concerns expressed and is taking a thoughtful and balanced approach as plans and next steps are considered. We are also aware that many of these same questions and issues have been raised through our listening forums and at recent HMS Town Hall meetings. Please know that we respect this feedback and take it seriously. The School is working on addressing these questions and will share further information soon.

Please see the survey findings here, including an executive summary.

Thank you again to the members of our research community for completing this survey. We remain committed to open communication and feedback.

Yours truly,
 
Cliff Tabin
tabin@genetics.med.harvard.edu

Julie Huang
 julie_huang@hms.harvard.edu

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
This weekend marks the unofficial start to summer. I think we can all use a little sunshine, not to mention a long weekend. On Monday, in observance of Memorial Day, please consider dedicating some time to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. As Martin Luther King Jr. said so eloquently: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
 
Earlier this week, Governor Baker announced a four-phase approach for reopening the state. Harvard Provost Alan Garber and Executive Vice President Katie Lapp sent an email to clarify what this means for the University’s plans and its workforce. Let me be specific about what this means for HMS: We will not be broadly opening the doors to our HMS buildings or campus on May 25 or June 1. Those of you who are currently working productively from home will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
 
As you heard during our HMS Town Hall last week, we are working on reopening plans and will resume our laboratory operations first. These plans align squarely with public health guidelines and the reentry plan released last week by the University Laboratory Reopening Committee. We are currently at Phase 0 of that plan as we work to review and approve lab-specific proposals for the return to on-campus research and codify and execute training for those who will be returning to campus and those who have been on campus during the restricted-access stage. More news will be shared soon about our lab ramp-up and business continuity plans, including answers to the questions that have been raised by so many of you.
 
This has been a challenging time for all of us. I know many spring breaks, summer vacations and celebrations have been held remotely, postponed or canceled, and travel restrictions remain. Despite these realities, taking time off is critical to our health and well-being. I therefore strongly encourage you to use your vacation time and step away from the computer, whether it’s for a couple of hours, days or even weeks.
 
Speaking of celebrations, graduations are a spring staple. Next Thursday, starting at 11 a.m., our community is invited to gather online to celebrate the HMS and HSDM Class of 2020 as they receive their hard-earned degrees. I look forward to this day every year, and this year is no exception.
 
As a preview, I hope you will enjoy this week’s Voices from the Community video, which features Dean for Students Fidencio Saldaña interviewing three graduating medical students: Parisa Fallah, Tiffany Minors and Gavin Ovsak.

Please join me in congratulating them on their hard work and achievements. They are a source of hope and inspiration. I also send my very best wishes to newlyweds Parisa and Gavin, who tied the knot in a virtual ceremony last month.

Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

Two weeks ago, Harvard Provost Alan Garber announced that the University will be open for the fall 2020 semester. He also acknowledged that Harvard schools have different approaches to learning and research and, as a result, aspects of the fall semester will likely vary among them.

At HMS, we have undertaken an intensive planning process over the last several weeks, working together to better understand and discuss the unique needs and timelines of our medical, graduate and external education programs, which differ from many of the course schedules at Harvard College and the other professional and graduate schools. Throughout this process, we have sought to balance health and safety with the educational aspirations of our students and the need to sustain the health care workforce.

After deep analysis in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided that our fall 2020 courses will commence remotely for our entering classes of medical, dental and graduate students, as well as for our HMS-directed external education programs that would have been held on campus. Given the uniqueness of our education programs, which run for 12 months and emphasize hands-on learning, we hope to be able to hold in-person research and clinical experiences for our returning medical and graduate students and will continue to closely follow institutional guidelines and public health developments. Our program leaders will be communicating soon with current and incoming students, faculty and staff to provide further details and preparations—including considerations for start dates, travel, housing, visas and financial aid/support—relative to their respective programs.

We hope to have all of our students back on campus by January, but we are mindful of the many unknowns and will update our projections as new information becomes available. In the meantime, please know that we are committed to delivering high-quality, transformative educational experiences to our students. We are confident that we can uphold the excellence that is the signature of a Harvard education. We are also committed to assisting our teaching faculty in designing online courses that meet these high standards and in supporting technologies that bolster our teaching and learning initiatives.

HMS has always been an innovator in education. Our dedicated program faculty, staff, postdocs and students have already displayed unrivaled creativity and commitment to scholarship and learning through a revised curriculum. We look forward to what they will design and accomplish this fall to advance our critical mission of education, research and service.

Thank you for your dedication, ingenuity and perseverance. Your collective energy sustains our entire community.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Edward Hundert
Dean for Medical Education
Harvard Medical School

Rosalind Segal
Dean for Graduate Education
Harvard Medical School

David Roberts
Dean for External Education
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
I hope you all have been able to enjoy some sunshine, blossoms and May flowers. It is important to take the time to get outdoors—wearing a mask, of course, given the mandatory state order that took effect yesterday.
 
I would like to acknowledge the sobering communication sent earlier this week from Harvard University Executive Vice President Katie Lapp. At HMS, we’re starting to comprehend the economic consequences of the pandemic. After revising our financial projections, we are now estimating losses of somewhere between $39 million and $65 million for FY20, which ends June 30.
 
A significant portion of this deficit is the result of our decision to stand in solidarity with our affiliated hospitals, which are also facing devastating losses, by forgiving their FY20 contribution to HMS, which totals $31 million. Other contributing factors to our deficit include the cancellation of many external education programs and the unforeseen costs related to the rapid transition to remote learning, research and work. Unfortunately, we anticipate further economic losses in FY21.
 
To emphasize the positive, we had been anticipating and planning for a potential downturn in the economy even before the pandemic. Because of this advance planning, we have already identified significant cost reductions, particularly in various construction projects across campus. Additionally, our finance team is working closely with unit administrators and finance managers to outline actions to reduce spending, as well as to understand which programs are most essential for preserving our commitment to research and teaching. While we are facing a very challenging situation, we feel confident in our ability to weather the storm.
 
In other news, I have established a business continuity task force to plan for the safe transition back to campus of scientists and staff engaged in hands-on research, while other members of our community will continue to work or learn remotely. I have asked Executive Dean for Administration Lisa Muto and Dean for Clinical and Academic Affairs Anne Becker to lead this task force, which consists of representatives from our research, academic and administrative units, as well as the chairs of the Lab Ramp-up Committee I told you about last week. The full group will meet for the first time next week and will share regular updates.

Finally, I want to thank our essential staff, who have been coming to campus over the past several weeks to perform the critical work that keeps HMS running. Their efforts will enable us to smoothly transition back to campus. I know many of you miss seeing these familiar faces. Therefore, I think you will enjoy this week’s Voices from the Community video, which features Director of Campus Services Rob Dickson interviewing Mohammad Awad from security, Travis Bell from mail/receiving and Carissa Kelly from facilities operations.

Please join me in thanking our essential staff for their hard work and dedication. At HMS, our people are our greatest asset.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
A little communication goes a long way. With the challenges before us, it’s more important than ever to keep our lines of communication open, but I also want to be respectful of your time.
 
To balance information flow and efficiency, I will be communicating with you weekly, primarily on Thursdays, for the foreseeable future. You will be hearing from members of my senior leadership team and from me, as we provide new updates and guidance as they emerge. While we can’t promise to have all the answers, we will be as transparent and timely as possible. We will also feature voices of other members of our community. We hope this sharing of lived experiences will bring us together in new ways.

This week, I am pleased to share this short conversation with Anne Becker. A longtime member of our community, Anne stepped forward on April 1 to become dean for clinical and academic affairs at HMS. I trust you will enjoy hearing her insights on starting this new role in the midst of a pandemic, how she and her team are adapting and how her perspective as a psychiatrist is shaping her plans for serving this community.

I have asked Cliff Tabin and Julie Huang to chair an HMS-based committee to develop principles, plans and a timeline for ramping up on-campus research and reopening our laboratories. This committee met for the first time yesterday and will meet daily for the next several weeks so we can be ready when restrictions are lifted by Governor Baker. Their work is connected with a University-wide group that has a similar responsibility.
 
In closing, I want to once again thank you all—those who are on campus and those at home who are working so hard to steward our mission. We are all feeling anxious about the unknown and share in the desire to know what our future holds. Please know that we will be sure to work with all of you, our HMS community, to do so in the most thoughtful way.
           
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
In his email this afternoon, Provost Alan Garber announced that Harvard will be open for the fall 2020 semester. There are still many unknowns with this pandemic, and therefore, it’s too early to determine exactly what the fall will look like at HMS and other Harvard schools. Nonetheless, we are heartened by this news.
 
Please know that we have undertaken a rigorous scenario-planning process to ensure we are prepared if needed to conduct our core education, research and service work online versus on campus for part or all of the semester. We are also acutely focused on how we will ramp up our on-campus pursuits and plan for the safe return of our students, faculty and staff.
 
Although we had to transition quickly to remote teaching, learning, research and work, you have all adapted well, and productivity remains high. Additionally, essential personnel are working diligently to keep our campus and facilities safe and in good shape for those employees who are still coming to campus, especially the significant number of scientists who are conducting high-priority COVID-19 research. These combined efforts position us well for a phased return of the remainder of our community when the time is right.
 
Our ramp-up of activities will follow the Governor’s lifting of stay-at-home restrictions and will adhere to guidelines for mask-wearing, physical distancing, and personal and environmental hygiene. We are actively monitoring the pandemic and will revise our plans accordingly in direct response to best available evidence and recommendations from infectious disease and public health specialists, many of whom are close colleagues within the Harvard community.
 
We acknowledge and sympathize with the anxiety caused by the current pandemic and by the uncertainty of the guidance we are able to provide at this time. We will be communicating with you to share new recommendations as they emerge and to raise up voices from members of our community who will impart their varied experiences and bring us together in new ways.
 
Thank you for looking out for one another. There are numerous examples of creative, virtual gatherings that have helped to keep morale high during this challenging time. We are proud and heartened by this display of empathy. Your spirit, strength and commitment to each other and to this community are the strongest assets that Harvard Medical School can count on to get us through these trying times.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

By now you have likely read the email sent yesterday afternoon from Harvard President Larry Bacow, Provost Alan Garber and Executive Vice President Katie Lapp about the economic impact of COVID-19 on the University. This news is sobering for all of us. 

As we stated during last week’s virtual Town Hall, right now we cannot tell you the extent to which this pandemic will impact our HMS finances, but we know it will be substantial. We are disappointed because we have worked diligently and made challenging decisions over the past several years to bring our budget back into balance, and we have focused on raising revenues and philanthropy to provide resources to support your extraordinary work in service of our mission. Before this pandemic, we were projecting the first budget surplus in over a decade. Now, we will inevitably see a return to deficits.

We can assure you, however, that we are much stronger financially than we were during the Great Recession of 2008. Our FY21 budget process had already factored in downside planning for a potential recession, though not of this acuteness and magnitude. We have prepared and will weather this financial downturn.

We are already modeling strategies to preserve our financial stability through discipline and resourcefulness. In close coordination with Interim Chief Financial Officer David Smallwood and his team, as well as with the University, we are working to anticipate and address the vulnerabilities in our budget. We are being both thoughtful and strategic, focusing on reducing spending to align with decreased revenues, identifying opportunities where we can raise revenues and managing our reserves to stay liquid, while simultaneously investing purposefully where possible. 

Our colleagues in the Office of Finance will be partnering with every department and unit to revisit forecasts and budgets and to better understand and provide guidance around discretionary spending. The more each of us can do locally to curtail spending and to bolster grant and revenue portfolios, the more we can help improve the School’s bottom line and avoid more stringent mandates down the road. We know the University’s decision to freeze salaries and hiring is difficult, but it is an important one and, therefore, we must be disciplined in considering any exceptions. 

Let us say clearly that we will need your help. We will need your understanding and your patience. We will need each and every one of you to do your part to help weather this crisis and to be thoughtful, selfless stewards of our resources. Please know that we must ask for sacrifices from all members of our community. But also please know that there will be many others—some of our peers, other institutions and even entire industries that will be suffering far more.

In troubled times, we are fortunate to be part of such a great institution. But we are most proud of being part of such a great community of people. We thank you for partnering with us as we face the current situation and the uncertainty that will confront us in the weeks and months ahead. We look to the future, and know there are better days ahead.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

Today, Harvard Executive Vice President Katie Lapp shared updated human resources policies in response to COVID-19. These new policies were made in consultation with administrative deans and leaders across the University and its schools, and I am pleased to share these highlights.

• For HMS employees (core staff, including administrative/professional, support staff, and service workers) who are well and available to work but cannot carry out their duties remotely or, because of the shifts in population on campus, they no longer have work to carry out, we will guarantee their regular pay and benefits through May 28, 2020. Additionally, we will expand eligibility for this guarantee of pay and benefits to part-time contingent employees who work less than half time (LHT). For questions, please contact your local HR consultant directly.
   
• For contract employees working in dining, custodial, parking and security roles, the University will provide financial relief in the form of pay and benefits if these employees are well and available for work but are displaced from their contract assignments due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and unable to obtain new assignments. Employees of Harvard’s 14 major suppliers of these services are eligible for this support for work disruptions between March 10 and May 28, 2020. The University is working with these suppliers to ensure that its financial support will be used for the direct benefit and financial relief of contract custodians, food service workers, parking staff and security guards. For questions, please reach out to your contract manager directly. 

I hope that these updated policies on pay and benefits provide you and your families with greater certainty and stability during these undeniably uncertain times. Thank you again for your unwavering commitment to one another and to our school.

Sincerely,

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
Yesterday afternoon, during Governor Charlie Baker’s public coronavirus update, Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders announced that the state is prepared to provide 90-day provisional licenses to speed the process of getting medical school graduates into hospitals as soon as possible to help on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
In response, HMS is collaborating with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, hospitals and the deans of other medical schools in the region—Boston University, Tufts and the University of Massachusetts—and is actively exploring the option of early graduation and granting  medical degrees to students who meet graduation requirements. This step would give qualified MD graduates the opportunity, if called upon, to join the clinical workforce up to two months earlier than would otherwise be possible. 
 
We are working with the University and our accrediting bodies on the details and expect to have more information to share soon. In the meantime, a Zoom meeting was held last night to discuss this emerging opportunity with our graduating students and get their initial feedback.

We stressed to the students that, when early graduation is enacted, they will each have to make a personal decision about whether to graduate early and respond to hospitals in Boston or in other parts of the country where absorbing early graduates as part of the workforce is being built into COVID-19 contingency plans. While many soon-to-be graduates have already expressed their eagerness to help, there will be no pressure to do so.
 
These are unprecedented times that call for extraordinary decisions and action. We are proud of how all of our students, staff and faculty continue to adapt and rise to meet these challenges.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Edward M. Hundert
Dean for Medical Education
Harvard Medical School
 
Fidencio Saldaña
Dean for Students
Harvard Medical School

Dear Colleagues,
 
The Office for Faculty Affairs wants members of the faculty of medicine to know that that our work on appointments and promotions will continue, despite this time of uncertainty and the suspension of our regular routines.
 
Our promotions committees are transitioning to virtual meetings, which may present minor technology glitches and challenges, but the OFA team is committed to doing its very best to keep faculty promotions on course and on schedule. Because of the pandemic, however, we anticipate potential delays.
 
Similarly, although OFA staff are all working from home, we strive to address faculty requests for advice and guidance regarding the promotions process. Please be patient with us. We are monitoring our phones and email accounts regularly and we are committed to responding to your inquiries and requests in a timely manner.
 
As always, we encourage you to visit the Office for Faculty Affairs webpage for important announcements and resources, including information on faculty development, recruitment, announcements and events, as well as the Faculty of Medicine Handbook.
 
Be safe and be well.
 
Sincerely,
 
Jules L. Dienstag
Interim Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs
Carl W. Walter Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
By now you have heard the news about Governor Baker’s emergency order and have received Executive Vice President Katie Lapp’s email to the University community about essential personnel. I wanted to reach out with guidance about how this order will impact our HMS community.
 
Last week we worked with HMS departments, offices and units to compile a list of essential personnel. We also reviewed petitions from lab PIs and research core directors and approved lab access for a small number of projects. Thankfully, these existing lists of approved personnel do not need to change.
 
To ensure unimpeded access to campus, these essential HMS personnel will receive an official exemption letter that can be shown to local, state and government officials upon request. Our human resources team will be sending these exemption letters to department administrative leaders to distribute this week.  
 
If you have been identified as essential personnel and need to work on campus, please continue to follow the enhanced Harvard workplace policies, updated March 22, regarding sick time and dependent care.
 
If you have any questions about this protocol, please contact your manager or HR representative. I also encourage you to continue to visit the University coronavirus webpage and the HMS coronavirus preparedness webpage, which include helpful FAQs and the latest information and links to resources. These pages are being updated regularly.
 
Thank you for your commitment to keeping our school safe and productive. Whether you’re carrying out your work remotely or on campus as one of our essential personnel, your support for one another and for our community is inspiring.  


Sincerely,

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

As we start a new week uncertain of the challenges ahead, I want to express how grateful I am to all of you and how enormously proud I am of the HMS community. You have acted individually and collectively to protect one another and our community as a whole and you have risen to the occasion to continue the work of this great institution.

People around the world look to Harvard Medical School for reliable expertise and activism in times of chaos. Our scientists have responded to the crisis by collaborating in unprecedented ways to develop innovative diagnostic tests and to launch drug screens and vaccines to confront the virus. Our clinician investigators have expeditiously initiated clinical trials to test experimental therapies. Our extraordinarily compassionate community of physicians, nurses, technicians and therapists has answered the call, accepting personal risk to treat patients on the front lines. Our medical students have volunteered to answer phone calls from anxious patients, to support the needs of busy clinicians by providing child care and other services and to stand ready to be called into clinical service where and when they are most needed. And our dedicated administration and staff have selflessly continued to work on site and remotely to safeguard our campus and to ensure that the mission of this community can continue.

It’s worth acknowledging that we have made a world of change in just a matter of days. To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, particularly to those who are most vulnerable, we have transitioned all courses online, shifted the majority of our faculty and nonessential staff to remote work, moved students out of Vanderbilt Hall and closed our labs and research cores—including my own lab at Boston Children’s Hospital. Nevertheless, our important work carries on, and we strive to maintain the rituals that mark the milestones of an academic community. Last Friday, we held our first virtual Match Day for our soon-to-be MD graduates and we anticipate more online celebratory events in the weeks to come.

As we settle into working remotely, Zooming to classes and meetings, or continuing to sustain the campus, I know we will continue to make the best of our shared new reality. I know we will get through this together and I am optimistic that we will come out stronger as individuals and as a community.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sincerely,

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS and HSDM Community:
 
Celebrating our new graduates is something we look forward to every year. This is what makes Harvard University President Larry Bacow’s announcement today so difficult: due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University’s Commencement exercises will be held virtually, with an in-person ceremony to be scheduled for a future date when it is safe for people to gather in person again.
 
For HMS and HSDM, Commencement and Class Day exercises will be held virtually instead of in-person to ensure the health and safety of our community during the pandemic. In addition, alumni reunions will be canceled.
 
We know this news is extremely disappointing for everyone, most notably our 2020 medical, dental, master’s, PhD and DMSc graduates and their families and friends who look forward to celebrating their accomplishments. However, we are sure you will agree that this is the right decision to help reduce the spread and impact of the disease and, most important, reduce the risk to those who are most vulnerable. Speaking as scientists and health care professionals, and on behalf of our eager graduates who are poised to shape the future of research and health care, we know it is imperative that we take these steps for the good of all.
 
In accordance with this decision, our master’s graduation ceremony on May 27, HMS and HSDM Class Day on May 28 and the Division of Medical Sciences hooding ceremony on May 28 will all be held virtually and diplomas will be mailed to graduates. Planning is already underway for these celebrations, and we are committed to making them special and memorable for our graduates and their loved ones. We look forward to sharing more details with you soon as we solidify our plans.
 
This is an unprecedented time. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and for your continued commitment to our community. We will get through this. Though apart, we will come together, like never before.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean, Harvard Medical School
 
Vicki Rosen
Interim Dean, Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Dear Members of the HMS Community: 

Effective Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at 5 p.m. - ACCESS TO HMS BUILDINGS

Pre-approved essential personnel who have access to HMS buildings must enter and exit through the following entrances:

• Goldenson/Armenise link 
• Quad garage-in Gate
• C-Building/TMEC link entrances
• NRB garage gate 1
• NRB garage gate 2
• NRB main entrance (at 77 Ave. Louis Pasteur)
• NRB Blackfan Circle entrance

These entrances, with the exception of the garages, will be staffed by security 24/7. All pre-approved essential personnel must tap their HUID for access and must sign in with security upon entry. All pre-approved essential personnel will be asked to provide the following information: name, time-in, destination, last four digits of HUID and cell phone number.

For the safety of all, security personnel will conduct hourly safety checks by calling the cell phone number provided. All pre-approved essential personnel must sign-out with security at the same location where they entered. In the event of an emergency where fire alarms have been activated, all occupants should exit the garage via the closest exit regardless of where they entered.

NOTE: All other Quad Buildings and NRB entrances will be secured until further notice.

Here is the guidance for other campus buildings:

• 180 Longwood, 160/164 Longwood, 641 Huntington, and Landmark Floor 5: Access will be restricted to pre-approved essential personnel.
   
• Countway Library: Access will be restricted to pre-approved essential personnel. The building will be staffed by security seven days a week, from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.
   
• Vanderbilt Hall: Access will be restricted to pre-approved essential personnel. The building will be staffed by security 24/7.

If an urgent situation arises precipitating the need for additional essential personnel:

• Call the HMS Security Control Center at 617-432-1379
   
• Send an email request with the name, department, destination, cell phone number and reason for the request to all of the following: Security@hms.harvard.edu, Carl_Cowan@hms.harvard.edu and Robert_Dickson@hms.harvard.edu

If you have questions about whether or not you are on the pre-approved essential personnel list, please contact your direct supervisor.  
As a reminder, here are the contacts for specific types of emergencies and urgent situations:

• Medical emergencies, including injury, illness, or fire: Call 911 (in the City of Boston via cell, call 617-343-4911)
   
• Threat, violence or theft: Call Harvard University Police Department at 617-432-1212
   
• Flooding, hazardous material accident, utility failure or facilities issues: Call the HMS/HSDM Facilities Office at 617-432-1901

Dear Members of the HMS Community:

As you make the shift this week to remote work, we want to thank you for your incredible flexibility and commitment to our school and the public health of our community. We have all received a great deal of changing information over the last week, and this can be difficult to stay on top of.

To help you manage the information overload, we have provided below an updated list of resources and guidelines to help support you through this transition and to answer some practical questions that are undoubtedly on your mind.

We encourage you to continue to visit the University coronavirus webpage and the HMS coronavirus preparedness webpage, which include helpful FAQs, for the latest information and links to resources that are being updated regularly. 

We hope this new guidance will give you and all members of the HMS community more peace of mind in balancing your work, health and well-being. We will get through this, together.

Sincerely,

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Guidelines and Practical Resources for the HMS Community
 

• Managing Stress and Anxiety: Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Here are some available resources:
   
  • Review the Harvard University Health Services guide to help manage fear and anxiety.
     
  • Participate in webinars and remote workshops offered by the Harvard Longwood Campus.
     
  • Access the free Coronavirus Sanity Guide, including meditations, podcasts, blog posts and talks offered by Ten Percent Happier.
     
  • Contact the Employee Assistance Program to speak with a mental health professional.
     

• Campus Services and Facilities: The HMS campus remains open despite the move to remote work and learning by faculty, staff and students. We are very grateful to our dedicated staff who continue to report to campus every day to support campus functions.
   
  • Building access: We will be moving to card access only for Quad buildings at three specific locations—Goldenson, Building C/TMEC link, and the NRB—beginning Wednesday, March 18, at 5 p.m. for approved essential personnel in accordance with the shutting down of labs and research cores. Access to buildings not connected to the Quad will be limited to essential personnel, as determined by departmental leadership.
     
  • Campus housing: As of today, all remaining residents of Vanderbilt Hall have been asked to relocate to housing at Harvard Business School. This follows the decision last week, when first-year medical students and first-, second- and third-year dental students were asked to move out, with rent prorated, in accordance with Harvard University Health Services and CDC guidelines related to social distancing and bedroom to bathroom ratios.
     
  • Construction: In accordance with the mandate from the City of Boston, campus construction projects will be halted as of March 17, following a necessary ramp-down period as we make the construction sites safe.
     
  • Dining services:Aliquots and the Atrium Café are now closed. Courtyard Café and Elements are open from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., featuring grab-and-go hot and cold breakfast and lunch items and snacks and beverages. In accordance with new state and Boston mandates, meals must be taken out and cannot be eaten in the cafes.
     
  • Parking for essential personnel: To help employees who are essential to the ramp down of operations on the Harvard Longwood Campus but who typically commute via public transit, there will be no charge for daily parking at the NRB and Quad garages by Harvard Longwood Campus ID holders. Garage access will be limited beginning Wednesday, March 18, at 5 p.m. for approved essential personnel.
    
     
• Countway Library: On-site library operations will be closing Tuesday, March 17, and access to Countway will be restricted to essential personnel and building tenants. Select library services will be available remotely. Please use the Ask Countway form if you have questions. And click here to access a collection ofCOVID-19 information and research.
  
   
• Finance: The HMS Office of Finance (OoF) has been working closely with relevant University offices and vendors to manage the transition to remote work.
   
  • Purchasing and processing payments: With the shift to remote operations, Harvard University Accounts Payable has implemented new guidance and procedures for purchasing, paperless invoice and payment processing. The HMS OoF Strategic Procurement Team is reviewing the new guidance and will communicate detailed information to department financial managers.
     
  • Supply chain: We are also engaged with vendors to manage supply-chain issues and ensure the availability and delivery of critical goods and services, including liquid nitrogen, and equipment.
    
     
• LCME Accreditation and Quality Improvement: We are following closely LCME updates and resources related to COVID-19 and are reaching out to targeted HMS populations with specific guidance as it becomes available.
  
   
• Shuttering of Research Labs: Dean George Q. Daley has announced that HMS will completely shut down research labs and core facilities, with virtually no personnel entering after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18. The closure is expected to last for six to eight weeks. Access will be approved for only the most critical needs and for a small number of individuals whose research focuses on the immediate priorities of the COVID-19 pandemic.
   
  • Animal care: All research animals are being cared for by our dedicated Harvard Center for Comparative Medicine staff, as well as by personnel from our science departments, to help ensure the continuity of critical HMS research.
    
     
• Sponsored Research: HMS remains aligned with the University’s sponsored research guidance related to COVID-19. See the links below to FAQs, agency notices and communications and related university policies. Contact Rita Bergemann or Rachel Cahoon in the HMS Office of Research Administration with any questions.
   
  • FAQs on COVID-19 Sponsored Guidance
     
  • COVID-19 Travel Guidance (login with HarvardKey)
     
  • Research-Related Information and Websites, including links to key internal and external websites that address most of the information currently available.
    
     
• Staying Informed: Continue to visit the University coronavirus webpage and the HMS coronavirus preparedness webpage for the latest information and links to resources. These websites will be updated regularly so check back often. Questions may arise for which we don’t yet have answers, but we’ll keep a running list and inform you when answers are available.
  
   
• Working Remotely: Click here for HMS-specific information about working remotely, including information about getting started, connecting with others, accessing files and applications, and additional resources.
   
  • Remote equipment: Approved HMS equipment for working remotely—such as laptops, monitors and tablets—must be documented via the Remote Work Computer Equipment Form. Completing this form will trigger an email confirmation to you and your supervisor, which you can print and use as a permit as you move equipment past HMS security checkpoints.
     
  • Zoom video conferencing: Zoom video conferencing is available now for HMS faculty, staff and students, and can be used on computers or mobile devices. You do not need a Zoom account to join or attend a meeting. To host a meeting, click here to request a Zoom account and test it.
     
  • To Zoom or not to Zoom: Given the extraordinary additional demand anticipated on our technology platforms and our need to prioritize academic use, please refer to these basic guidelines for using Zoom sensibly, including reverting to a phone call when a video conference is not necessary.
     
  • IT support: For any IT support questions or concerns about working remotely, including assistance with your personal remote setup, please contact support.
    
     
• Workplace Pay, Benefits and Policies: On March 10, Harvard announcedenhanced workplace policies that expand the guidelines for paid sick time for employees, as well as for family and dependent care.
   
  • Direct deposit: We strongly encourage all employees to enroll in direct deposit if they have not already done so, as the production and delivery of paper checks is likely to be disrupted in the future. To enroll in direct deposit through PeopleSoft Self-Service, see the direct deposit instructions and authorization form or visit the Central Payroll website.
     
  • Entering staff time: It is important that all employees, whether working from home or on campus, enter their time as they always have. For example, if you are caring for a sick family member, you would claim dependent-care sick time for those hours. Likewise, if you are taking a vacation or using a personal day, you would claim those hours accordingly.
     
  • I-9s and new employee onboarding: HMS Human Resources will have an HR representative available periodically to complete the Form I-9 requirements for both staff and monthly/temporary employees. All staff orientations, both for the University and Harvard Longwood Campus, will be conducted remotely.
     
  • Pay continuation: If departments, offices or operations are closed by Harvard/HMS or public health authorities due to COVID-19, Harvard will provide non-remote employees with alternate work assignments or emergency-related paid excused absence. Employees should log into PeopleSoft to request an absence, select “excused absence” and absence reason “COVID-19.” Please note: emergency pay applies only to non-temporary Harvard staff.
     
  • Talent acquisition and recruitment: Recruitment activities, including job postings, sourcing, phone screenings and interviews (via Zoom, telephone or other conference devices), will continue uninterrupted. Conditional and final offers of employment can be extended only if the individual can be onboarded remotely and if the position is deemed critical. All other offers of employment will be placed on hold for 30 days, but are subject to change as conditions change.
     
  • Training and programming: All staff orientations, both for the University and Harvard Longwood Campus, will be conducted remotely. We are working to convert all Harvard Longwood training and programming to a remote format. We are awaiting additional guidance for Center for Workforce Development training and programs.
     
  • Human Resources: For HR-related questions, please contact your local HR consultant.

Dear Members of the HMS Research Community:
 
Yesterday, you received a communication from Harvard Longwood leadership directing you to ramp down your laboratory research activities, which parallels recommendations from our hospital affiliates. Recommendations from epidemiologists and inferences based on observations of the outbreaks in Italy and Seattle indicate that we need to institute drastic measures of social isolation to impede the spread of the coronavirus.
 
SARS-CoV-2 is already in our community. Cases of COVID-19 will rise swiftly and overwhelm our hospitals unless we take emergency measures that don’t just distance people, but dramatically restrict people from coming into and going out of our immediate community.
 
We are rapidly approaching, if we haven’t already surpassed, the time to limit in-person access to our laboratories only to essential individuals. I understand that everyone is concerned about the very real loss of research productivity. What you may not understand are the devastating consequences, loss of life and disruption to our hospitals that will ensue if our caseload approaches those in Italy and Wuhan.
 
Some labs endeavor to practice social distancing by working as small groups in shifts. A single infected person will leave a trail of virus. Given that surface contamination is a major mode of transmission, shift workers will be unwittingly exposed.
 
Furthermore, please appreciate that infected individuals shed virus before they become symptomatic, and apparently for some days post-recovery. We currently have inadequate means to diagnose those among us who are or have been infected. To reduce epidemic spread, we have to reduce gatherings of individuals, which we all endorse and are already practicing, and minimize the migration of individuals into and out of our community, which limits the migration of the virus. This is why we have called for the emptying of our laboratories and encourage all to pursue alternative scholarly activities in isolation.
 
We are seeking to cease research operations on the Quad and expect to completely shut down each lab and core facility, with virtually no one entering a lab or research core after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18. Access will be allowed for only the most critical needs—to maintain animal colonies, to replenish liquid N2 and to ensure the stability of experimental material. This blanket laboratory ramp-down will also exclude the small number of individuals working on research directly related to immediate priorities of the COVID-19 pandemic. We anticipate this will be the situation for 6-8 weeks. Attached to this email is an information sheet that provides instructions as to how to submit requests for access. Petitions for access will be reviewed and approved by a committee of the department chairs in consultation with me.
 
I realize that many individuals may take exception with or doubt the wisdom of this directive. As a scientist, I found it difficult to deliver this message to my own lab. But as a physician and steward for this community weighing the grim reports I’m reading from colleagues in Seattle and Italy, I believe the recommendation to shutter our labs is in our collective best interest. Each one of the six high-level colleagues I have contacted in China has had their labs entirely mothballed for over two months. There are vanishingly few experiments that take precedence over life and death in our community.
 
The outbreak of COVID-19 is the single most threatening pandemic to arise in the last century, and has historians recalling the devastation of the influenza pandemic of 1918, which infected about a third of the world’s population, resulting in at least 50 million deaths. The world’s population today is almost four times larger, and our communities are correspondingly denser and more vulnerable. Reducing not only community density but containing the migration of those infected with the virus will be essential for dampening the impact of this pandemic.
 
I ask you to act responsibly on behalf of our entire community, especially those who are most vulnerable. Please work remotely and maintain distance and isolation until we have a better understanding of the course of this outbreak. We will get through this, together.
 
Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Dear Members of the HMS, HSDM and Harvard Chan School Research Communities:

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, our shared goal is clear: we must lower the risk of infection within our community by promoting social distancing and aggressively limiting the number and size of community gatherings to minimize the spread of disease, particularly to those who are most vulnerable.

Therefore, it is imperative that we eliminate or at least significantly reduce the number of physical interactions among our graduate students, postdocs, faculty and staff. We request your help in developing a rapid ramp-down strategy for the majority of our research activities to enable remote work to the maximum extent possible. We are taking this action in close coordination with other Harvard schools.

Each PI will be responsible for coordinating a strategy to ramp down laboratory research activities by Wednesday, March 18, with the expectation that this period of low productivity will likely last at least six to eight weeks. We will revisit this timeframe periodically as more information on the trajectory of disease transmission becomes available, and we will update you if this estimate changes.

To implement our goal, we are mandating that all group meetings, courses and scientific convocations be conducted virtually, per the University’s guidance. To minimize community interactions, we ask each lab to identify, in consultation with the department chair, no more than two or three key individuals to manage animal husbandry and essential experiments—those that if discontinued would generate significant financial and data loss. Please be prepared to implement your plans as soon as possible, or by Wednesday, March 18, at the latest. 

We understand your research is critically important. During this period we urge you to devote your time to productive alternatives, such as writing grant proposals, reviewing articles, writing thesis chapters, conducting analyses, compiling data and/or synthesizing important research. This is a good opportunity to reflect and to work on books and research papers. Research group leaders are asked to identify specific contributions that individuals in their groups can make while working remotely.

We are facing a potentially catastrophic crisis for our health care system. This is our chance to act decisively, rise to the occasion and protect our community. The time to act is now, and your partnership and commitment to the greater good are essential.

Sincerely,

Dean George Q. Daley, Executive Dean Lisa M. Muto and the Preclinical Department Chairs
Harvard Medical School

Interim Dean Vicki Rosen
Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Dean Michelle A. Williams
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Dear Harvard Medical School Staff:
 
We understand that the email sent earlier this week from Harvard President Larry Bacow has prompted questions about how staff will be impacted by the decision to shift to virtual classes. As you know, this is an emerging situation, and therefore, our guidance and policies will continue to adapt accordingly.
 
As such, we are reaching out with more detailed guidance around remote work. Specifically, we are now strongly encouraging unit and department leaders to shift their teams and nonessential staff to work from home as soon as possible. The reason we are providing this guidance is to follow University and public health guidelines around social distancing in order to deter the possible spread of disease. 
 
We know that some teams are more readily equipped and practiced to do so, while others will need more time to prepare. Unit leaders and managers will be completing an email survey to help gauge the degree of readiness of their units to transition to remote work. This will help our HMS administrative leadership better understand where we are currently, who is working from home or still on campus, and what additional support is needed.

To that end, we have prepared below some resources and guidelines to help support you through this transition and to answer some practical questions that are undoubtedly on your mind.

We understand that it’s not always clear who is considered an essential or nonessential employee. Therefore, please check in with your managers and unit leaders, who have been given the discretion to determine the needs and business continuity for their individual areas.
 
As you work together with your units and teams on this shift to remote work, we hope this new guidance will give all HMS staff more peace of mind in balancing their work and personal well-being.

Sincerely,  

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School


Resources and Practical Guidelines for HMS Staff

• Working Remotely: Click here for HMS-specific information about working remotely, including information about getting started, connecting with others, accessing files and applications, and additional resources.
   
  • Zoom video conferencing: Zoom video conferencing is available now for HMS faculty, staff and students. It can be used on computers, mobile devices and with the same conference room equipment for which you have used WebEx in the past. Importantly, you do not need a Zoom account to join or attend a meeting. To host a meeting, click here to request a Zoom accountand test it.
     
  • IT resources: For IT-related questions or concerns about working remotely or video conferencing, please contact the HMS IT Service Desk at 617-432-2000 or itservicedesk@hms.harvard.edu.
     
• Workplace Policies: On March 10, Harvard announced Enhanced Workplace Policies that expand the guidelines around paid sick time for employees, as well as family and dependent care.
   
  • Entering staff time: It is important that all employees, whether they are working from home or on campus, enter their time as they always have. For example, if you are caring for a sick family member, you would claim dependent-care sick time for those hours. Likewise, if you are taking a vacation or using a personal day, you would claim those hours accordingly.
     
  • Direct deposit: We strongly encourage all employees to enroll in direct deposit if they have not already done so. The production and delivery of paper checks depend on various external services, such as printing, private shipping and the U.S. Postal Service, which may be disrupted in the future. You can enroll in direct deposit through PeopleSoft Self-Service; please see the direct deposit instructions and authorization form or visit the Central Payroll website.
     
  • Employment interviews: Effective immediately, all staff employment interviews, including finalist interviews, must be conducted remotely viaZoom, telephone or other conference device.
     
  • Training and programming: All staff orientations, both for the University and Harvard Longwood Campus, will be conducted remotely. We are working to convert all Harvard Longwood training and programming to a remote format. We are awaiting additional guidance for Center for Workforce Development training and programs.
     
  • Parking: While staff are strongly encouraged to work from home, we understand that some must continue to work on campus and may not feel comfortable taking public transportation. Staff may reserve and pay for daily parking using their personal debit or credit card (please see detailed instructions here, in the Teaching, Learning and Operations section of the FAQ). The parking fee at both the NRB and Quad garages, which are open Monday through Friday starting at 7 a.m., has been temporarily reduced to $15 per day. Additional parking considerations are also being made for those deemed essential personnel, so please consult with your manager.
     
  • Human Resources: For HR-related questions, please contact your local HR consultant.
     
• Meetings and Events: Effective immediately, we are transitioning to nonessential gatherings of no more than 25 people. For any gathering, take steps to lower riskand prevent spread of viruses: use videoconferencing and teleconferencing options wherever possible, remind attendees to practice social distancing, ensure easy access to handwashing facilities and make sure alcohol-based sanitizers are readily available to all participants.
   
• Staying Informed: Continue to visit the University coronavirus webpage and theHMS coronavirus preparedness webpage for the latest information and links to resources. These websites will be updated regularly so check back often. Questions may arise for which we don’t yet have answers, but we’ll keep a running list and inform you when answers are available.

Dear Members of the HMS Community:
 
We want to call your attention to the email sent this morning from Harvard President Larry Bacow, who has made the decision to transition to virtual instruction for undergraduate and graduate classes by Monday, March 23. Harvard joins the growing list of colleges and universities that have made the same difficult decision. The University has also changed its guidance around group gatherings and is now strongly discouraging any nonessential meetings or events of 25 people or more on campus.
 
We want to stress that despite this change to our educational environment, our campus will remain open. As you know, the continuity of our HMS research and business operations is critical, as is the work of our faculty and staff. Labs and departments are in the process of adjusting continuity plans for the current situation to accommodate potential disruptions and minimize loss of resources.
 
The School’s educational mission will continue uninterrupted, but in a modified format. We are working to ensure that our faculty and students are supported as we move to virtual classes, and we know that many have already made this transition or will do so by the March 23 deadline. Over the next week and a half, course directors will be working with education technology and PME staff and students to prepare their courses to be delivered remotely.
 
These guidelines for remote classes apply to Quad-based courses. Clinical experiences for medical and dental students will continue to follow the guidelines issued on March 6.
 
Our HMS Information Technology team has rolled out the Zoom video conferencing platform for faculty, staff and students, and the Webex platform may also be available for some courses. Moreover, the University has launched a new Teach Remotely website to provide faculty with best practices, tools and support for teaching classes online.
 
However, given that portions of the HMS learning environment are largely hands-on and that medical students need to complete rotations and patient exams to meet graduation requirements, we plan to proceed with clinical activities and will work with our affiliated hospitals to employ heightened protocols aimed at ensuring the safety of students, patients, staff and faculty.
 
Additionally, our graduate students can continue to pursue their laboratory research after consulting with their research supervisors. For those of you who have dual roles at other Harvard schools or HMS-affiliated hospitals and research institutions, we ask that you follow their policies and guidelines if they are more restrictive. 
 
President Bacow referenced that Harvard students have been asked not to return to campus after spring recess (March 16-20 for many at the College) and to meet their academic requirements remotely. We recognize that HMS break periods do not align with these dates and that there could be serious consequences for not returning, including disrupting graduation requirements. Therefore, HMS students should plan to return to campus following their breaks. This decision may be revisited should the current situation escalate. We are also considering adjustments to campus housing, in addition to the extra cleaning and precautions already underway, to ensure the safety of students and staff.
 
As we mentioned yesterday, our shared goal is to lower the risk for our community by promoting social distancing and limiting the number and size of community gatherings in a measured way to help prevent spreading the disease. President Bacow’s decisions support that important goal.
 
We want to thank our staff, in particular, for your commitment to our shared mission during this rapidly evolving situation. We know this shift will precipitate many questions, including how the move to virtual classes may affect F1 visas. We are working to prepare additional guidance and to get clarification and answers to these questions. We will share updates as they are available. In the meantime, we encourage you to refer to the University coronavirus web page and the HMS coronavirus preparedness web page for detailed guidance and policies around travel, meetings, events and more, including helpful FAQs.
 
As our community rises to plan for and meet the challenges posed by this disease, we are already seeing a silver lining in the positive ways our faculty, staff and students are joining forces to connect and collaborate. The fortitude of our full community has never been more vital.
 
Thank you for your patience and support as we work through this evolving situation while advancing our mission of research, education and clinical care.

Sincerely,  

George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the Harvard Medical School Community:

We know that news of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is on your minds as it permeates the news and our daily conversations. While infection rates are still low in Massachusetts, we are monitoring the spread of the disease and are aware that the situation is changing rapidly.

The HMS coronavirus task force, led by Carl Cowan as part of our Local Emergency Management Team, is working with leaders at HMS and colleagues across the University to develop contingency plans to address a host of potential scenarios and impacts.

Our shared goal is to lower the risk for our community. We intend to do so by promoting social distancing and decreasing the density of community gatherings in a measured way, which will help prevent the disease and its spread. With this goal in mind, here are the actions we are taking and new resources available:

• We have created an HMS COVID-19 web page to curate and centralize the policies and guidance from both the University and HMS specifically. This web page includes links to specific policies and an FAQ with answers to the most common questions being raised. It will be updated daily so the information remains current.
   
• HMS IT has expedited the rollout of the Zoom video conferencing platform for faculty, staff and students. Zoom is available right now and can be used on your computers, mobile devices and with the same conference room equipment for which you have used WebEx in the past. Importantly, you do not need a Zoom account to join or attend a meeting. If you intend to host a meeting, click here torequest a Zoom account now and test it.
   
• To prepare for the possibility of increased remote work, we also recommend that you review additional HMS-specific information about working remotely. If you have any IT-related questions or concerns about video conferencing or working remotely, please reach out to the IT Service Desk at 617-432-2000 oritservicedesk@hms.harvard.edu.
   
• In an abundance of caution, HMS dining services is eliminating self-service food stations (e.g., salad bar, global market bar, yogurt parfait, etc.) and moving to a combination of pre-packaged meals and service by Restaurant Associates staff behind the counter.

Thank you to all of the members of our community who have come together to help make these changes actionable so that faculty, staff and students can continue to engage in meetings, work and learning on campus.

Please also be aware that we are keenly focused on ensuring the continuity of our research and business operations. We will continue to update the community as new information becomes available and local decisions are made.
 

Sincerely,
 
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the Harvard Medical School Community:

We wanted to call your attention to the email sent today from Harvard University Provost Alan Garber, Harvard University Executive Vice President Katie Lapp and Harvard University Health Services Director Giang Nguyen, which includes significant updates to Harvard University’s policy related to domestic and international travel, individuals returning to or arriving on campus, and on-campus events and meetings.

HMS and all Harvard schools and units are expected to follow the University’s policies and guidance to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our community. We are working to compile HMS-specific FAQs and information to complement the University policies. We will share that as soon as it is ready.
 
Sincerely,
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University
 
Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School

Dear Members of the Harvard Medical School Community:

We are all concerned about the potential impact of the novel coronavirus. Earlier this week, HMS convened a meeting of the greater Boston biomedical community to assess the public health threat posed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is responsible for the respiratory disease COVID-19. We did so to bring the extraordinary expertise of Harvard Medical School, our hospital affiliates, the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and many other players in the region together to collaborate and deliver on our mission to alleviate suffering and improve health and well-being for all.
 
While infection rates remain low in Massachusetts, HMS has been working to ensure preparedness and has been formulating plans in the event that local cases increase in number. Our Local Emergency Management Team has formed a coronavirus task force that is working with colleagues from across the University to coordinate response procedures.
 
We want to give you an overview of some of the measures being developed or enhanced to safeguard the HMS community. We will continue to monitor the impact of the coronavirus and will share more in the coming days.

• In a message sent to the Harvard community earlier today, Harvard University Provost Alan Garber, Harvard University Executive Vice President Katie Lapp and Harvard University Health Services Director Giang Nguyen outlined updated travel advisories and introduced the University’s new coronavirus webpage, which will be updated frequently with the latest guidance and resources. The webpage containscoronavirus workplace policies. Supervisors should contact their local HR consultant with questions specific to HMS.
   
• HMS Information Technology is working to ensure appropriate capacity and tools so that teaching, research and administrative functions can be carried out remotely, as needed. This includes expanding capacity for remote access and collaboration with Webex and Zoom. Please look for an email from IT that will outline how to obtain and use Webex and Zoom.
   
• HUIT’s newly released webpage is designed to aid staff in preparing for workplace and travel changes due to the coronavirus.
   
• Students should be aware of and adhere to the Provost’s guidance regarding international and domestic travel plans. Emails with recommendations from their specific programs will be sent to students in the coming days.
   
• HMS custodial services has implemented enhanced cleaning procedures, including disinfecting high-touch areas across campus.
   
• Additional hand-sanitizing dispensers have been placed in buildings across campus. The University has also provided best practices for appropriate hygiene and preventive measures that everyone can employ to prevent the spread of viral illness on campus.
   
• Harvard Health Publications has teamed with HMS faculty experts to create the HHP Coronavirus Resource Center, which provides answers to a range of frequently asked questions, such as what are the symptoms of coronavirus and how can individuals protect themselves and others?

 We will continue to update the community as new information becomes available.
 
Sincerely,
George Q. Daley
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard University

Lisa M. Muto
Executive Dean for Administration
Harvard Medical School