Several US universities including Georgetown, Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Cambridge have adopted virtual learning for their students as a preventive measure against the spread of Coronavirus on their campuses.
The measure is coming at a time that the dreaded virus appears to be taking s foothold in the United States with the number of infections growing.
It is also coming on the heels of the decision by Mayor Bill DeBlasio to close all schools in New York City for the rest of the school year.
A March 12 statement from the President of Georgetown University announced that the institution will be transitioning to a virtual learning environment.
President DeGioia in an email to the Georgetown community announced that the institution will transition to a virtual learning environment through the end of the semester. With immediate effect, the academic leadership have also provided resource to students across campuses who have been advised to return to their permanent address while receiving academic instructions and classes over the internet.
Students were encouraged to practice social distancing while Georgetown announced additional steps taken to safeguard the health and safety of its community. This includes immediate closure of main campus gym Yates Field House, Free Parking, Complimentary Meals, Move-Out resources, Storage and access to online Counseling and Psychiatric evaluation services.
In the US, the government announced travel restrictions last Wednesday in an effort to ‘flatten the curve’ and reduce the spread of Coronavirus as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps through Europe rather aggressively.
Georgetown is not the only academic institution that has announced the change to foster instructional continuity. In the past week Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Cambridge issued similar instructions to faculty, staff and students who have also now transitioned learning to virtual environments.
