Video: Teaching In Person Safely
Teaching in person this fall? Take a look at this short video that demonstrates safe use of personal protective equipment in different classroom scenarios, explains how to respond to student health concerns, and shows you how to record your class session using Zoom.
The above video is for you, the instructor. You can send this video to your students.
Important note about face shields and two-factor protection: We realize our advice on face shields appears to contrast with the CDC guidance. The CDC recommends that everybody use face coverings rather than a face shield. To be clear, Emory’s Environmental Health and Safety Office recommends two factors of protection: both a face covering and six feet of distance, which is more conservative than the CDC guidelines. A face shield alone does not provide adequate protection. When only a face shield is in use it is recommended that the instructor remain at least 8 feet away from the audience. If it is not possible to maintain at least 8 feet of distance, the classroom has been equipped with a tall acrylic barrier to serve as a second layer of protection. The goal is to prevent aerosol droplet transmission, which the acrylic barrier does even more effectively than a cloth face mask. And in all of these situations, the face shield is one factor of protection, used along with a second factor of protection.
The benefit of a face shield, as compared to a cloth face covering, is that the students can see the instructor’s face. This is good for speech comprehension, especially for students who are hard of hearing or who are non-native English speakers. This also adds a human touch to the classroom. That being said, if you are uncomfortable wearing a face shield and prefer to stick with a cloth face covering, we recommend you do what feels safe for you – as long as it at least meets the Emory minimum requirements of two factors of protection. We’re aware of the existence of transparent face coverings, and while Emory has not yet been able to procure these, you are welcome to use one if you have it and if it is otherwise blocking aerosol transmission similar to a standard cloth face covering.