Omicron teaching

Last semester we started to see students in person again on a regular basis. Of course we were careful; we did social distancing, we wore masks, we had 20 minute ventilation breaks between lecture slots, et cetera. But we were teaching, and not much went wrong. Of course we were sometimes contacted by a student who said they had tested positive, and had to self-isolate. But that was pretty much it.

Then in December one of the staff fell ill with covid. And the numbers in the covid update the University sends us regularly shot up. And then another member of staff fell ill; that later turned out to be covid as well. And then two more.

It was bound to come closer. On a Sunday, I got an email that the Monday before I had been teaching a student who had since tested positive. Given that contact wouldn't have been close (I had been in what I think was the biggest lecture room in the entire University), and that I am fully vaccinated, there were no consequences. I didn't have to self-isolate. I was just told that so I could be extra alert on any possible symptoms. If I had any I could go and test myself to within an inch of my life! And I test every time before I see students (or other people) but I would test even more were I to have anything like symptoms.

Two days later I already got the next message. On the Friday I had also taught a student who had later tested positive. Again; I had been in a big room. I'm not worried about it. But given that we now have omicron, and given its transmissibility, I think this is the new normal. Every session of size will now have a student in it that will test positive afterwards! That first session was with literally every third year student (or at least, they all should have been there) and the second session was with a group that should have been 70 students. I think I will get more messages like this from this group! I suppose one day I will get it myself. I can only hope I won't be too ill…