My Louisiana relatives tell me their governor closed schools until mid-April BUT in their district, teachers still have to go to work in the schools. How crazy is that? They’ve been told to teach online, but the district doesn’t have online class capability, and many of their poorer students don’t have internet. I approve of them getting ahead of this by closing schools, but the rest is nuts.
Just got word the superintendent in that district relented and now only 12-month employees (secretaries, custodians) have to report for work.
In Massachusetts:
State of Emergency
Most public schools are closed or closing - Boston just called it for their 53,000 students.
Most colleges have closed either for a three week period (Spring Break plus two weeks, with the caveat that it may be longer so all are prepared for extended online learning) or closed/online through the end of the semester
No large group gatherings and many, many events cancelling or postponing regardless.
There is no toilet paper to be had!! Or disinfectant wipes, paper towels, hand sanitizer, etc. And now, with more schools closing and the national emergency called, the canned goods are flying off the shelves as well.
There was a conference in Boston from which many cases emerged - they JUST closed the hotel down where it was held several WEEKS AGO. Hmmmm, barn door/horse situation much?
So, there’s plenty of potential cases, but very little testing so who knows what the numbers really are.
University of Connecticut - two weeks (at least) of online classes after Spring Break. They are not actually shutting down at this point. If kids have nowhere to go, there will be facilities and a dining hall available for them. They are also keeping a lot of their clinical students and research facilities open. There have been no cases at the school and it’s fairly well insulated - the entire town is the university and not in a heavily populated or active area.
In my neck of the woods there was supposed to be an Adam Sandler thing (concert? stand-up act?) next week that has been postponed indefinitely.
It’s pretty significant that Indiana University (my alma mater) is closed-- or moving online, whatever. The last time it closed, or made any concessions to outside influences regarding its schedule was when it closed for a week during the 1978 blizzard, and if there had not been a moratorium on driving, that probably would not have happened.
For people not old enough to remember, two feet of snow fell on Illinois, Michigan, Indiana & Ohio in one night, with drifts up to 4 feet, and more snow would come. Kids missed about 2 & 1/2 weeks of school. I was visiting my cousins there during winter break, and got stuck. My mother actually had the nerve to mail me my schoolwork! and my aunt made me do it.
Anyway, yeah, I don’t know of a college or university here (IN) that isn’t switching to online classes. The University of Indianapolis, where I am taking a class in TESL is extending spring break by one week, while professors figure out how to go totally online with their classes. Whether they will go with webinars, or just online lessons, or whatever, is probably going to be between each professor and dept. head, except for the few classes that are standards, like the freshman comp classes.
The admin is facing the decision of whether to go ahead with graduation ceremonies.
People were buying out all the grocery stores. There was not a box of mac & cheese, bottle of water, or container of hand sanitizer to be found. Thermometers are gone too, and TP was fast disappearing. Lines were long, and carts were laden. Customer service had a sign up that they were closed due to lack of staff.
Amazon’s grocery delivery service has a 2-day wait.
Fortunately, we’re always well-stocked, because we buy in bulk. I am expecting grocery stores to be posting “Limited stock” signs in windows pretty soon.
Oh, and my synagogue has cancelled everything except services, private tutoring sessions, and the weekday Hebrew classes that have 6 students or fewer per class.
My kids attend Indian cultural and Hindu religious classes on Sundays. Or, well, they did. Not anymore.
The wonderful St. Louis Science Center is closed through March 31. The Zoo is still open, which surprises me. Everyone is spread out when viewing the outdoor exhibits, but there are a lot of indoor things where people pack together like sardines around the animals.
If you were planning to come to North Carolina, don’t. We’re closed!
Schools and universities are transitioning to online classes. Starting next week, I am to come to campus only one day a week until further notice (I am staff). The libraries are closed, along with a lot of other public buildings/spaces. Every event/conference/gathering that I am aware of or was planning to go to in the next couple of months has been cancelled or postponed.
Apple is closing all of its retail stores outside of China for the next two weeks.
Lafayette College told its students not to come back after spring break.
So did Columbia College, Chicago.
U. Ill. cancelled Illini Day and told my grandson not to come for associated campus tour.
Redmond closed its schools.
(All four affected my grandchildren.)
World Women’s Curling championship to have started today, cancelled.
McGill will likely close (final decision Monday).
North Carolina public schools closed for two weeks (I think that’s going to be an “at least” situation). A teacher in the Wake County Public Schools has tested positive.
The North Carolina Football Club Youth (which is the largest youth to professional club in the U.S.) stopped all activities last week until at least 4/13.
Saskatchewan Chief Public Health Officer has issued an order prohibiting all gatherings of more than 250. Only exceptions are retail stores (so you can queue for toilet paper :rolleyes: and places of worship.
Gov’t of Sask, as employer, is restricting out of Province travel for all public servants, and requiring all public servants who have been out of the country to self-isolate for 14 days upon return (regardless whether away for gov’t work or personal travel).
Junior Hockey League (umbrella for the 10 junior leagues across Canada) has cancelled the season.
I received a nice email today from the CEO of Taco Bell informing me they will be closing their dining rooms and moving to a “drive-thru and delivery only” service. Their employees will receive sick leave and they will still get paid if their store has to be temporarily closed (for lack of a drive-thru?).
The Universities of Saskatchewan and Regina have both shut down for a week. Will resume next week with all classes on-line for the rest of the semester.
California junior colleges are shutting down in a disorganized way, every school different apparently, classes online – in my son’s case, after a week shutdown probably so the teachers can get organized for online.
All public schools in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties are shut down for about the next 4 weeks.
The Commonwealth of Virginia has also closed its schools, K-12, for at least two weeks.
Poland has closed its borders and shut down air travel. Jets from Britain and Spain have been turning back in mid-flight
Here’s a list of all the sci-fi/fantasy conventions cancelled or postponed so far. I expect it will grow soon.
In Hawaii, this year’s Merrie Monarch Festival on the Big Island and the Waikiki Spam Jam have been canceled.
Admitting to not reading thru the whole thread - Luke Days. The weekend at Luke AFB in Phoenix with static displays, and an air show. A free event, hugely attended, only every 2 years. We bought VIP tickets for a private area with food and chairs and a shuttle from the parking lot (otherwise you’ll have to schlep your own folding chair to fight for a spot near the flight line and park miles away) and now I expect to have an issue getting our refund since I had a mail from the servicing company asking us to patiently wait for time to allow them to give us “refund options”