Majority of Harvard Personnel to Work Remotely Through End of 2020

The majority of Harvard personnel will continue remote work through at least the end of the calendar year, University Provost Alan M. Garber ’76, University Executive Vice President Katherine N. Lapp, and Harvard University Health Services Director Giang T. Nguyen announced in an email Wednesday morning to affiliates.

Most personnel switched to remote work in mid-March, though it was unclear at the time that the pandemic precautions would stretch a minimum of nine months.

Campus will only be populated by students — no more than 40 percent of the student body, including non-international freshmen — and the faculty, staff, and personnel needed to support their on-campus activities, per Garber, Lapp, and Nguyen.

“Nobody outside these categories, unless directed otherwise by local leadership and managers, is expected to conduct their activities on campus,” they wrote.

Garber, Lapp, and Nguyen also reminded affiliates that individuals arriving in Massachusetts must complete the Massachusetts Travel Form.

The form mandates quarantine for 14 days regardless of means of travel unless travelers are arriving from a lower-risk state or can present a negative test result for COVID-19 administered fewer than 72 hours prior to arrival in the state. Failure to follow quarantine requirements subjects individuals to a $500 fine.

Harvard affiliates who work or live on campus will undergo initial and recurring COVID-19 testing. Students and personnel living on campus will receive three tests a week. Those who are not living on campus will receive tests once or twice a week, depending on their activities and how much time they spend on campus.

Affiliates will also be required to regularly fill out Crimson Clear, a website which asks questions about symptoms and contact with others who have contracted COVID-19. Upon completion, they will receive a “clear” pass for 23 hours, allowing them to re-enter Harvard facilities. It also allows affiliates to set up testing appointments.

Garber, Lapp, and Nguyen also urged accessibility and the importance of “timely communication.” They wrote all Harvard affiliates should keep phones powered and nearby at all times as HUHS officials and others “may require that you answer phone calls at any time” to begin quarantine procedures.

“The coming academic year promises to be like none that came before, calling on all of us to work together to make it a success,” Garber, Lapp, and Nguyen wrote. “No matter where we are located, we all need to do our part to advance the academic progress and achievement of our students and the critical work of our researchers, while protecting the health and well-being of our community and those around us.”

—Staff writer Camille G. Caldera can be reached at camille.caldera@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @camille_caldera.

—Staff writer Michelle G. Kurilla can be reached at michelle.kurilla@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @MichelleKurilla.