Harvard University has asked its students have to move out of their houses and first-year dorms by Sunday, March 15, and is moving all of its classes online for the remainder of the semester in an attempt to prevent the coronavirus from infecting its campuses.
The order to vacate the campuses was given via an email from University President Lawrence Bacow.
Harvard has also asked students not to return from spring break, which officially begins Saturday, and now strongly discourages group gatherings of more than 25 people.
In Europe major airlines have been running near-empty flights in order to retain valuable airport slots, drawing sharp criticism from climate activists as the coronavirus outbreak dramatically reduces passenger demand.
A so-called “use-it-or-lose-it” rule, enshrined under EU law, states airlines must fly 80% of their flights on a slot in order to safeguard their presence at major hubs has now been lifted.
The airlines have also told passengers they will no longer be levied any penalty for cancelling flights.
Meantime, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran said he had asked Tehran to free all prisoners temporarily, saying it is “unfortunate and disturbing” to continue holding political prisoners amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Iran’s judiciary chief said on Monday it had temporarily freed about 70,000 prisoners to help stem the spread of the coronavirus in jails as officials reported hundreds of new infections and dozens more deaths across the country.
But U.N. rapporteur Javaid Rehman said only those serving sentences of less than 5 years had been freed while political prisoners and others charged with heavier sentences linked to their participation in protest marches remained in jail.
“A number of dual and foreign nationals are at real risk if they have not…got it (coronavirus) they are really fearful of the conditions,” Rehman told a press briefing in Geneva.
On Tuesday payments on mortgages was suspended across the whole of Italy after the coronavirus outbreak according to Italy’s deputy economy minister said on Tuesday.
“Yes, that will be the case, for individuals and households,” Laura Castelli said in an interview with Radio Anch’io, when asked about the possibility.
Italy’s banking lobby ABI said on Monday lenders representing 90% of total banking assets would offer debt moratoriums to small firms and households grappling with the economic fallout from Italy’s coronavirus
