Health
As Delta Variant Cases Climb, University Will Maintain Indoor Mask Mandate
The University will continue to require masks indoors regardless of vaccination status as the Delta variant has driven a nationwide rise in coronavirus cases, Harvard University Health Services Director Giang T. Nguyen wrote in an email to Harvard affiliates on Wednesday.
Harvard Law School Launches First-Ever Research Initiative on Psychedelics and the Law
Harvard Law School’s Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics is launching a first-of-its-kind research initiative focused on psychedelics and the law, the center announced Wednesday.
Pregnant and Postpartum Women Report Elevated Distress During Pandemic, HSPH Study Finds
Pregnant and postpartum women around the world reported high levels of loneliness, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety or depression during the Covid-19 pandemic in a Harvard School of Public Health study published last month.
Experts Discuss Combatting AAPI Hate in HSPH Panel
The Forum at the Harvard School of Public Health co-hosted a virtual panel last Friday to discuss strategies for approaching the rise in racism, violence, and discrimination against Asian Americans in the U.S.
Harvard To Lift Some Travel Restrictions for Vaccinated Affiliates on May 15
Fully vaccinated Harvard affiliates will be able to conduct University-related domestic travel and international travel to certain countries beginning on May 15, the school announced Friday.
Ahead of New Mass. Vaccine Eligibility, Some Undergraduates Already Qualified for Vaccinations
Ahead of Covid-19 vaccine eligibility in Massachusetts opening to all residents 16 years and older on Monday, a number of Harvard students have secured their doses in alternative ways, from qualifying for an earlier phase to getting their hands on a leftover dose.
Harvard Faculty and Public Policy Experts Talk Health Care and Polarization at HSPH Event
Harvard faculty and public policy experts discussed health care policy in an era of extreme partisan polarization at an event hosted by the Harvard School of Public Health, Politico, and The Commonwealth Fund on Wednesday.
UC Creates Health Services Information Week, Issues Statement Condemning Sexual Harassment
The Undergraduate Council passed legislation to establish an information week about services at HUHS and to release a statement on addressing sexual harassment at Harvard on Sunday.
U.S. Rep. Pressley Addresses Racial Disparities at HSPH Event
U.S. Representative Ayanna S. Pressley (D-Mass) discussed racial disparities in the impact of Covid-19 and her overarching legislative priorities as part of Harvard School of Public Health’s “Voices in Leadership During Crises” series on Thursday.
SEAS Panel Discusses the Future of AI in Healthcare
The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences presented a Wednesday panel on the advantages and pitfalls of deploying artificial intelligence to improve healthcare equity.
Harvard Advises Affiliates to Stop Use of Hand Sanitizers Containing Benzene
Harvard Environmental Health and Safety advised University affiliates to suspend use of hand sanitizers containing the carcinogen benzene, including one brand purchased by Harvard.
Harvard Economics Professor Talks Broken American Health System
William C. Hsiao, an Economics professor emeritus at the Harvard School of Public Health, spoke about the problems with America’s health system and the potential benefits of a single-payer system during a HSPH webinar on Thursday.
LA Mayor Discusses Leadership During the Pandemic at School of Public Health Webinar
Los Angeles Mayor Eric M. Garcetti spoke about his city’s handling of Covid-19 and racial and socioeconomic inequality during a webinar held by the Harvard School of Public Health on Friday.
HUHS Opens Applications for Centralized Peer Education Group, Prepares for Fall Launch
Harvard University Health Services’s Center for Wellness and Health Promotion opened applications last week for undergraduates to join a merged peer education program that HUHS will launch in fall 2021 as part of an overhaul to the University’s peer education system.
State Health Officials, Experts Discuss Progress and Future of Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout
State health officials and experts discussed Covid-19 vaccine prioritization and distribution at the state level during a Harvard School of Public Health forum Tuesday.
All Massachusetts Residents 16+ Eligible for Covid-19 Vaccine on April 19
Most Harvard affiliates will be eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine next month, following an announcement Wednesday by Massachusetts governor Charlie D. Baker ’79 that all residents over the age of 16 will become eligible April 19.
Vaccine Supply at Harvard Will Remain Scarce Until April, Health Services Director Says
Harvard University Health Services Director Giang T. Nguyen said in a Friday interview he anticipates that state vaccine shipments will remain low through March but is “hopeful” that supplies will increase in April, in time to send students home for the summer vaccinated.
Students Report Remote Year Rife with Adverse Mental Health
In the year since the College transitioned to remote learning, some undergraduates said they have grappled with mental health crises while struggling to succeed in virtual classes and navigating unsupportive learning environments. Some students said Harvard has not done enough to support them.
Harvard Law School Hosts Panel on Social Repercussions of Covid-19
Law professors and health experts explored how the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated social inequalities during Wednesday’s fourth installment of a Harvard Law School seminar series on the intersection of Covid-19 and the law.
Medical School Professor Tapped As NYC Health Department’s First Chief Medical Officer
Harvard Medical School professor Michelle E. Morse was appointed as the New York City Health Department’s inaugural Chief Medical Officer and as Deputy Commissioner for the Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness on Feb. 16, per a press release.
Health Care Conference Addresses the Legacy of Racism in Black Health
Activists and scholars across a breadth of disciplines gathered virtually for the fifth annual student-run Black Health Matters conference this weekend to discuss the effects of systemic racism on Black health.
What Happens When a Harvard Student Tests Positive for Covid-19?
Of the 85,501 Covid-19 undergraduate Covid tests since June 1 of last year, 54 have tested positive. Here’s what happens after a student receives a positive test result.
Updated Lab Protocols Invalidate Positive Covid-19 Test Results for More Than Two Dozen Harvard Affiliates
At least 26 Harvard affiliates received positive Covid-19 test results between Jan. 25 and Feb. 5 — forcing at least some into isolation housing — that were later invalidated after the testing lab adjusted the threshold required to determine a positive result.
Phase Yellow
Harvard’s campus reopening status entered Phase Yellow on Monday, the third tier of its reopening plan.
On World Cancer Day, School of Public Health Hosts Panel on Prevention
Medical experts, cancer survivors, and philanthropists discussed the prevalence of cancer and the systemic inequities in the healthcare system at an event at the Harvard School of Public Health on Thursday to mark World Cancer Day.