HELPING HANDS, 2
BOOK STORE IN A BIND, 8
VIABLE VACCINES, 8
GET RID OF GADSDEN, 11
Hundreds of volunteers run errands for Boston seniors.
Harvard Book Store struggles to survive with less foot traffic.
The race for a COVID-19 vaccine pushes for promising progress.
A Gadsden flag flies on campus, but carries darker meanings.
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TUESDAY, OCT. 29, 2020
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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY
YEAR L. VOLUME XCIX. ISSUE III
BU plans for social-distanced Halloweekend celebrations Nick Kolev Daily Free Press Staff AMANDA SCHNEIDER | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
AMANDA SCHNEIDER | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
A green badge checkpoint in the George Sherman Union. Boston University’s student-led street teams focused on safety and engagement are now checking for COVID-19 compliance at BU locations such as dining halls and some residences.
BU street teams begin checking for compliance group of folks that are safely distanced and they’re engaged, they’re going to respond to that in a public fashion, so that other Following Scarlet Safewalk’s folks … want to join in, want to rebranding into a student group be acknowledged for doing all focused on engagement the right things.” and safety, the service is What they’re really doing is Students from the street now checking badges for teams are placed in the they’re offering a warm entry into the George Sherentrances of the GSU to smile saying, ‘Thanks for check for green compliman Union. Students Activities Diance badges as students doing that, thanks for rector John Battaglino said enter the building. this is part of the group’s showing your attestation, Badges will be checked thanks for complying.’ commitment to uplifting upon entering all residence the community during halls with security desks COVID-19. “When they see somebody starting Thursday, Dean of StuCompliance checks — in the with a good-looking mask on, dents Kenneth Elmore wrote in form of green badge presen- they’re going to say, ‘Hey, an email to students sent by BU tation — began Oct. 22 across thanks for doing that,’” Battmultiple BU buildings, in- aglino said. “When they see a CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Claire Williams Daily Free Press Staff
cluding dining halls, but some checks are assigned to others. Battaglino said students will also provide positive affirmations to those following University COVID-19 guidelines.
Boston University is “just trying to creep it real” and urging students to celebrate Halloween safely and responsibly this year, according to a University email sent to students Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases continue to rise both nationally and in Massachusetts. Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore, along with Student Health Services Director Judy Platt, wrote BU has noticed students tend to get “lackadaisical” with following COVID-19 guidelines when in gatherings — and when alcohol is involved. He said any gatherings that do happen should be kept small. “I would say to people this is just not the year to be having a Halloween bash,” Elmore said in an interview. “You really need to just stick with people and maybe get to know each other.” Elmore said while he acknowledges people will gather, it is important that students limit contact with others by staying in groups of around four or less, preferably with those from the same household. He added all students must wear Universi-
ty-recommended masks. “A Halloween mask is not a substitute for your cloth or paper mask,” Elmore said. BU will host a number of virtual events this weekend so students can celebrate Halloween safely. Student Government President Oliver Pour said because students cannot go out to celebrate this semester, StuGov will bring Halloween to them. “BU students can really experience an incredible Halloween from their own dorm or suite room or own apartment,” Pour said. StuGov and F--- It Won’t Cut It are collaborating to host “Hasan Saves Halloween,” a virtual Q-and-A session with comedian and actor Hasan Minhaj, which will be preceded by an hour of student talent acts and followed by a scary movie marathon. Pour said snacks will also be provided for students to pick up at most dorms around campus and take back to their rooms for the event. He called the Q-and-A a “once and a lifetime event.” “This Halloween is unlike any other,” Pour said. “We hope that thousands of students will CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Experts weigh in on if lockdown is necessary James Paleologopoulos ry and weeks after he issued an requiring masks and soDaily Free Press Staff order cial distancing in public spaces. State leadership and experts say Massachusetts can avoid another statewide lockdown if the Commonwealth acts on what it now knows about the virus as COVID-19 rates rise to spring levels. As of Wednesday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has reported five consecutive days of more than 1,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing the statewide total to 150,498 confirmed cases since the pandemic began. The number of new cases has reached levels not seen since mid-May. At the time, cases had been trending downward months after Gov. Charlie Baker issued a statewide stay-at-home adviso-
However, confirmed cases are increasing across the country. Baker said at a press conference Tuesday that steps such as the spring advisory may not be needed again because the state and its residents are more informed about transmission now than during the initial outbreak. “We and [nursing homes] are now far better equipped to keep the virus from spreading in these settings,” Baker said, “with adequate [personal protective equipment], doing much more regular testing, infection control policies, regular audits and managing visitation from the outside.” Baker also said the surge was expected. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
AMANDA SCHNEIDER | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
LAURYN ALLEN | DAILY FREE PRESS FILE
Massachusetts can avoid another statewide lockdown if the Commonwealth uses information it knows about the coronavirus to respond to rising cases, according to state leadership and experts. Still, the number of cases in the state is rising.