Harvard President Lawrence Bacow Has Tested Positive For COVID-19

Susan AdamsForbes Staff
Education
I’m a senior editor in charge of Forbes’ education coverage.




Harvard President Lawrence Bacow has been working at home since March 14 and minimizing contact with ... [+] Getty Images
Lawrence Bacow, president of Harvard University since July 2018, has tested to positive for COVID-19. He shared the news online in a letter to the Harvard community.
Both Bacow, and his wife Adele F. Bacow, learned early this afternoon that they have the disease. Since Sunday they have been experiencing symptoms including coughs, fevers, chills and muscle aches. They reached their doctor on Monday.
“We were tested yesterday and just received the results a few minutes ago,” Bacow wrote. “We wanted to share this news with all of you as soon as possible.” He doesn’t know how he and his wife contracted the virus. But he added that the two have been limiting contact with others since March 14.
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On March 10, Harvard began moving instruction online “to the greatest extent possible” though a posting on its website says, “The University remains open and operational with appropriate measures to protect the health of the community.”
Bacow wrote that he does not know how he and his wife contracted the virus. They have been strictly observing social distancing since starting to work at home March 14.