Grab your favorite morning beverage, turn on your camera and come have an open, candid hour-long conversation about how COVID-19 is impacting you, your work, and anything and everything in between. This Converse and Convene: COVID-19 will focus on questions related to safely reopening schools during the pandemic. Please note this event is not recorded and is intended for members to have an open, candid discussion around the selected topic. Questions that you will discuss include:

1. What are the best ways to adapt infection control interventions, such as physical distancing, to school settings? What is the evidence basis for 3 versus 6 feet of distancing? What are the implications of adopting a more conservative distancing policy?
2. Is cohorting a useful infection control strategy for school settings. Why and why not? What are some alternative strategies that could be employed instead to maximize in-person learning time?
3. What is the evidence behind various ventilation interventions (e.g., opening windows, HEPA filters, HVAC upgrades)? What are the implications of adopting these interventions?
4. Do we need to think about school re-opening separately by type of school (elementary, middle, high school)? What are the challenges that are specific to each setting, and how can we adapt infection control interventions to meet the needs of each of these types of school?
5. Some of the major barriers to school re-opening have been political. How can we help to address these barriers?
6. Some populations are not in favor of re-opening schools "until it is safe." What does safety mean? What can we do to help to reach out to these populations to address their needs?

Be sure to listen to Dr. Branch-Elliman's episode on this topic in our Rapid Response Podcast!

Moderator: 
Westyn Branch-Elliman, MD, MMSc
Harvard Medical School

This event is open to SHEA members only at this time.