Harvard MBA Students Temporarily Move Online

In an attempt to suppress the outbreak of COVID-19 on campus, Harvard Business School has moved all first-year and some second-year MBA students to online classes through October 3rd. From September 20th-25th HBS conducted nearly 42,000 COVID tests, and reported 74 positive cases, resulting in 87 isolated and 28 quarantined students. Nearly 81% of the positive test results the university administered are comprised of graduate students (CNBC).

Despite 95% of their students being vaccinated, COVID is making its way from student to student during indoor, unmasked events, both on and off campus. This includes group travel and gathering with people outside of their household. Harvard students have been asked to refrain from participating in these kinds of activities, vaccinated or not (CNBC).

Contact tracers have confirmed that these cases are not “occurring in classrooms or other academic settings on campus. Nor is it occurring among individuals who are masked” (Bloomberg).

Previously, fully vaccinated HBS students were required to test once a week, and unvaccinated students twice per week. HBS students “are now being tested three times a week” regardless of vaccination status to keep the situation under control, says HBS spokesperson Mark Cautela (CBS NEWS).