Indiana University returns to in-person classes next month, with almost 85 percent of its students, faculty and staff vaccinated against COVID-19.
Dr. Aaron Carroll is director of surveillance and mitigation at IU. He said being on campus will be the safest part of most people’s day given the high vaccination rate.
“IU is absolutely safer today than it was when the alpha variant was on the rise, and certainly when we opened up campus last year,” Carroll said. “We are going to monitor, we are going to watch, we are going to keep an eye on everything.”
While vaccines are not 100 percent effective in preventing infection from the delta variant, Carroll said they are proven to reduce symptoms of possible delta variant infections.
He said breakthrough cases are bound to happen – IU President Pamela Whitten is an example. However, considering she only experienced mild symptoms, it is a good sign of things to come.
“If we can turn COVID into something which makes people have a mild flu-like illness or a cold, and then they go about their businesses, that’s a massive win,” he said. “And for the most part that has been achieved for those who are vaccinated.”
Carroll said IU will continue to test unvaccinated people and adjust its policy as needed. Professors will not be allowed to ask students if they are vaccinated, nor will it police exempted individuals to wear masks.
