"GREATER BOSTON": I'M ADAM REILLY, IN FOR JIM BRAUDE.

AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND REMOTE LEARNING, A NEW B.U.

STUDY FINDS THAT NEARLY ALL COLLEGE PROFESSORS SAY THEIR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THE STUDY'S AUTHOR, A PROFESSOR AND A STUDENT, JOINS ME ON THE IMPACTS AND WAYS TO COPE.

THEN, LATER, AS WE RACE AHEAD WITH VACCINATIONS, "BOSTON GLOBE" TRAVEL WRITER CHRISTOPHER MUTHER WILL LAY OUT SOME OF THE BEST PLACES YOU CAN VISIT SAFELY ONCE YOU'RE FULLY INOCULATED.

>>> EVEN IF EVERYTHING'S GONE RIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES, THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN GRUELING.

THE THREAT FROM COVID HAS WAXED AND WANED, BUT IT'S NEVER GONE AWAY.

SOME OF US HAVE TO CONFRONT IT EVERY DAY.

FOR OTHERS, THE MOST BASIC ROUTINES HAVE BEEN TOTALLY TRANSFORMED, AND IT'S NOT CLEAR IF OR WHEN NORMALCY WILL RETURN.

NOW A NEW STUDY REVEALS THAT IN THE WORLD OF HIGHER EDUCATION, THERE'S INTENSE CONCERN ABOUT HOW THE PANDEMIC IS AFFECTING COLLEGE STUDENTS.

A REPORT FROM THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE MARY CHRISTIE FOUNDATION, AND THE HEALTHY MINDS NETWORK SAYS NEARLY NINE IN TEN FACULTY MEMBERS THINK STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH HAS WORSENED, OR GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE, DURING THE PANDEMIC.

ALMOST 80% OF FACULTY SAY THEY'VE HAD ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH WITH STUDENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR, BUT ONLY HALF OF THEM ARE CONFIDENT WHEN IT COMES TO RECOGNIZING WHEN A STUDENT IS IN MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL DISTRESS.

JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF MENTAL HEALTH ON AMERICA'S COLLEGE CAMPUSES ARE: THE STUDY'S PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR, DR. SARAH KETCHEN LIPSON, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HEALTH LAW POLICY AND MANAGEMENT AT THE B.U.

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH; DR. SUSANNA GALLOR, A SENIOR LECTURER IN PSYCHOLOGY AT UMASS BOSTON; AND LAYANIE OSCAR, A STUDENT AT THAT SAME SCHOOL.

>> Reilly: THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE WITH YOU.

LY.

>> Reilly: SARAH, LET ME START WITH YOU, THESE ARE, TO MY LAY PERSON'S EYES REALLY GRIM NUMBERS.

WERE YOU SURPRISED AT HOW GRIM THEY ARE, OR DID YOU SEE THIS COMING?

>> Doctor: MY TEAM AND I HAVE BEEN STUDYING MENTAL HEALTH IN COLLEGE STUDENT POPULATIONS FOR ABOUT A DECADE NOW, SO WE'VE SEEN INCREASING PREVALENCE RATES PRETTY MUCH EVERY SEMESTER FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, AND IN PARTICULAR FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

SO I KIND OF ALWAYS HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF WHEN I'M SHARING THE DATA WITH FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT BEFORE, JUST NOW JARRING IT CAN BE.

AND SO IT FOLLOWED 2020, WHICH IS OUR MOST RECENT DATA FROM STUDENT POPULATIONS, AND THAT WAS ABOUT 33,000 STUDENTS ON CAMPUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND CLOSE TO 40% OF STUDENTS SCREEN POSITIVE FOR CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION.

WHEN YOU STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT IS A REALLY JARRING NUMBER.

ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS RIGHT NOW ARE REALLY STRUGGLING, AND I THINK THE PANDEMIC HAS AMPLIFIED THAT IN A LOT OF WAYS.

>> Reilly: IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAY, AND THIS MAY BE A BIGGER QUESTION THAT YOU CAN ANSWER HERE, BUT HAS THERE BEEN AN EVOLUTION THAT HAS PRECEDED A PACE DURING COVID, OR IS THERE EVIDENCE THAT COVID HAS EXACERBATED BAD TRENDS THAT ALREADY EXISTED?

>> Doctor: IT SEEMS THAT THE TRENDS -- THE KIND OF WORSENING TRENDS HAVE KIND OF CONTINUED AND BEEN MOSTLY AT THE PACE THEY WERE AT, BUT THERE ARE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT HAVE BEEN DRASTICALLY CHANGED BY COVID IN WAYS WE CAN ALREADY SEE IN THE DATA.

THE RESEARCH I DO IS SURVEY RESEARCH, CROSS-REFERENCING, AND SNAPSHOTS, AND WE KNOW THAT THE PAST TWO SEMESTERS WE HAVE SEEN REALLY HIGH RATES OF LONELINESS, OF ISOLATION, A LACK OF BELONGING THAT COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE FEELING, AND HEIGHTENED LEVELS OF FINANCIAL STRESS CH-STRESS, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PREDICTOR OF MENTAL HEALTH AND PARTICULARLY SUICIDE RISK.

AND WE KNOW THAT IT IS A KEY FACTOR IN WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HEALTH, AND THERE IS AN INCREASE IN STUDENTS EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION, PARTICULARLY ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER STUDENTS, AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE'RE SEEING INCREASES IN THAT PARTICULAR STUDENT GROUP.

>> Reilly: LAYANIE, THIS IS A PARTICULAR ASK BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A WHOLE YEAR, BUT CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?

WHAT HAS IT FELT LIKE TO BE A STUDENT AT THIS BIZARRE MOMENT AND SCARY MOMENT IN HISTORY?

>> IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY GRUELING.

I WILL SAY I DID FEEL THAT SENSE OF ISOLATION.

IT WAS BROUGHT ON IN PART BY THE PANDEMIC AND HAVING TO MOVE FROM IN-CLASS INSTRUCTIONS TO AT-HOME INSTRUCTIONS.

I FOUND MYSELF GRADUALLY, AND THEN ALL AT ONCE, ISOLATING FROM MY FRIENDS PURPOSELY BECAUSE IT JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THAT SAME TYPE OF CONNECTION AT HOME, BUT -- AND THEN TO KEEP THAT LEVEL OF CONNECTION GOING OVER THE PHONE DID NOT SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THAT I WAS -- THAT I COULD DO OR WILLING TO DO, ESPECIALLY WITH THE STRESS THAT WAS ALL OF THE STRESSES OF SCHOOL, OF HAVING TO QUIT MY JOB, OF KEEPING UP WITH MY SCHOOL WORK AS WELL.

SO I DID FEEL VERY ISOLATED.

>> Reilly: I SHOULD MENTION, YOU AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT YESTERDAY, YOU HAD A JOB THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY LIKED, AND LOOKED FORWARD TO GO TO, AND YOU HAD TO QUIT IT BECAUSE YOUR FAMILY WANTED TO PROTECT YOUR MOTHER, IN PARTICULAR, FROM COVID, RIGHT?

>> YES.

YES.

I HAD TO MAKE THE HARD DECISION OF WHO I WANT TO KEEP THAT LEVEL OF HAPPINESS, AND I FELT THAT MY MOTHER'S HEALTH WAS OF GREATER CONCERN TO ME THAN OF GOING TO WORK JUST FOR THAT INTERACTION WITH MY FRIENDS.

>> Reilly: SUZY, YOU ARE A PRACTICE PRACTITIONER OF PSYCHOLOGY AND YOU'RE A STUDENT, HOW HAVE YOU SEEN STUDENTS WEATHERING IT THE PAST YEAR?

>> I ACTUALLY THINK -- IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION BECAUSE I'VE WORKED PRIMARILY, UP UNTIL COMING TO U.M.B., IN MORE TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE RESIDENTIAL.

AND I THINK THE FACT THAT U.M.B.

IS A VERY UNIQUE KIND OF CAMPUS, IT IS PRIMARILY COMMUTER, THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS WHERE THIS HAS BEEN OKAY FOR THEM BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE FACTORS THAT MAKE IT REALLY HARD UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, LIKE HAVING ONE, TWO, THREE JOBS, FULL-TIME JOBS, ON TOP OF TAKING CLASSES, LIVING AND HAVING FAMILY THAT THEY'RE CARE-GIVERS FOR.

SO IF ANYTHING, HAVING REMOTE CLASSES VISIT BEEN HELPFUL TO THEM.

BUT I THINK IN GENERAL, WHAT I AM HEARING ON THE FACULTY SIDE IS THAT IN SPITE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HELPED THEM COPE WITH THE PANDEMIC, THE -- IT'S BECOME UNTENABLE TO MANAGE A FULL COURSE LOAD.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL TOLL THAT THIS PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN HAS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF MADE ALL OF THAT JUGGLING THAT THEY ARE SO COMPETENT IN DOING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

AND SO I'VE HEARD THAT FROM THE FACULTY PERSPECTIVE NOW FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND CERTAINLY MORE SO THIS PAST YEAR.

AND I WAS SEEING THAT EVERY YEAR EXPONENTIALLY GROWING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, AS YOU MENTIONED.

I'VE WORKED IN MANY DIFFERENT COLLEGE CENTERS AS A STAFF PSYCHOLOGIST, AND MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND THE STRESS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES HAVE BEEN GROWING FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF DECADES.

AND I WAS SEEING THAT THEN.

SO I CAN JUST IMAGINE COLLEGE COUNSELING CENTERS THIS PAST YEAR, AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES AT UMASS BOSTON, IT HAS BEEN PRETTY STUFF.

>> Reilly: I SAID SUZY, AND I SHOULD HAVE SAID SARAH.

>> THAT'S OKAY.

>> Reilly: YOU DID A STUDY THAT DROVE HOME HOW PREVALENT THE ISSUES ARE HERE.

I THINK WE HAVE SOME OF THE FINDINGS, BUT I'M GOING TO RECAP THEM.

IN THIS STUDY THAT YOU WERE A PART OF THAT CAME OUT IN FEBRUARY, 83% OF STUDENTS SAID THEIR MENTAL HEALTH HAD NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE LAST MONTH.

TWO-THIRDS SAID THEY WERE STRUGGLING WITH FEELINGS OF ISOLATION AND LONELINESS.

AGAIN, INCREDIBLY BLEAK NUMBERS TO LOOK AT.

CAN YOU OFFER SOME ADVICE FOR INDIVIDUAL PROFESSORS WHO ARE LOOKING TO RESPOND TO THIS SORT OF THING?

AND ALSO MAYBE FOR INSTITUTIONS THAT MAY BE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN EQUIP PROFESSORS TO RESPOND.

>> YEAH.

AND I WAS GOING TO BRING IN THAT EXACT STATISTIC THAT SO MANY STUDENTS ARE SAYING THAT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH HAS NEGATIVELY AFFECTED THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

I THINK AS A FACULTY MEMBER MYSELF, I HAVE HAD MORE AND MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW IT IS AFFECTING THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

I HESITATE IN SOME WAYS TO KIND OF GIVE ADVICE NECESSARILY FOR WHAT EACH FACULTY MEMBER CAN DO.

I THINK THERE IS A LOT WE CAN BE DOING.

SOME OF IT IS REALLY LOW-HANGING FRUIT, KIND OF BRINGING IN EMPATHY, KIND OF BRINGING IN A KIND OF HUMANNIZINGHUMANIZING LENS INTO TEACHING.

I TALKED WITH STUDENTS LAST MARCH, AS THE PANDEMIC HIT, WHO SAID THAT AS FACULTY STARTED CLASSES ON ZOOM, THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE MASSIVE CHANGES THAT HAD BEEN HAPPENING, AND SO TAKING A PAUSE BEFORE YOU BEGIN TEACHING AS A FACULTY MEMBER AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS IN YOUR CLASSES, AND WHAT THEY'RE ALL GOING THROUGH, AS WELL AS WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AS WELL.

I TALKED WITH MY STUDENTS IN THE FALL THAT I WAS HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME WITH SLEEPING.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE REALLY BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.

AND THAT AFFECTS YOUR WELL-BEING IN REALLY BIG WAYS.

SO KIND OF OPENING UP THE CONVERSATION MEANS A LOT TO STUDENTS.

FACULTY CAN MAKE THEMSELVES AWARE OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH FOR STUDENTS ON THEIR CAMPUS.

THEY CAN INCLUDE THAT INFORMATION IN THEIR SYLLABUS AND ACTUALLY POINT THAT INFORMATION OUT TO STUDENTS ON THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THROUGH A LENGTHY FILL SYLLABUS IN ITS ENTIRE, BUT I TRY TO READ SOME OF IT.

AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR FACULTY TO BE FLEXIBLE AND GIVE THAT BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT TO STUDENTS.

IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WE'RE RISKING KIND OF WIDENING INEQUALITIES FOR STUDENTS MIGHT MOST BE IN NEED OF THOSE EXTENSIONS BECAUSE OF ANY NUMBER OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO HAVING FLEXIBILITY AND GIVING STUDENTS TIME TO TAKE THEIR TIME AND GET THEIR ASSIGNMENTS IN.

AND IN TERMS OF WHAT INSTITUTIONS CAN DO TO SUPPORT FACULTY IN THIS ROLE -- THE FACULTY RIGHT NOW ARE SOME OF THE ONLY INDIVIDUALS ON CAMPUS WHO ARE ROUTINELY SEEING STUDENTS, SO WE ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO RECOGNIZE STUDENTS IN SUCCESS.

AND OUR RECENT DATA THAT YOU WERE SHARING, 80% OF FACULTY REPORTED HAVING CONVERSATION WITH STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, BUT ONLY HALF FEEL CONFIDENT IN RECOGNIZING DISTRESS.

AND THE MAJORITY OF FACULTY SAY THEY'RE WELCOMING OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

THEY WANT THESE RES RESOURCES TO BE BRIEF AND ONLINE.

THEY WANT A CHECK LIST AND A GUIDE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.

SO I THINK THERE IS A LOT IN WHAT THE DATA CAN TELL US THAT THE UNIVERSITY CAN DELIVER TO THE STUDENTS MORE EASILY.

>> Reilly: SUZY, WHAT ARE SOME ARE THE THINGS YOU AT U MASS BOSTON HAVE BEEN DOING TO TRY TO RESPOND TO THIS?

>> I THINK WHAT SARAH MENTIONED VALIDATES WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO AND WHAT MY COLLEAGUES AND FOLKS ACROSS OUR CAMPUS HAVE TRIED TO REINFORCE AND FOSTER, IS TO REALLY JUST TAKE A STEP BACK AND KEEP IN PERSPECTIVE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AND GIVING YOURSELF, AS A FACULTY MEMBER, PERMISSION TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE, TO MAKE EXCEPTIONS WHEN YOU WOULDN'T TYPICALLY MAKE EXCEPTIONS.

AND TO ESTABLISH CONDITIONS WITH STUDENTS IN A WAY YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE TRADITIONALLY DONE, BUT PERHAPS CONTINUE TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE, WHERE YOU SHARE A LITTLE MORE OPENLY ABOUT HOW HARD YOU KNOW THIS IS FOR YOURSELF, BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE FOR YOUR STUDENTS, MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE AND, YOU KNOW, SAYING THIS ALL AS EARLY ON AS POSSIBLE.

IT CAN GO A LONG WAY FOR A STUDENT TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE OKAY WITH THEM COMING TO YOU TO JUST SAY I'M STRUGGLING.

AND I THINK MAKING THAT EXPLICIT AS EARLY ON AS POSSIBLE COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

SO -- YOU KNOW, I TRY MY BEST TO CONVEY THAT EARLY ON IN THE SEMESTER.

ITPUT THATI PUT THAT IN MY SYLLABUS, AS SARAH MENTIONED.

AND I HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH STATEMENT IN MY SYLLABUS THAT I ALWAYS HAVE, BUT IT SORT OF TALKS ABOUT THE STRESSORS THAT COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE GOING ON.

AND THAT I'M AWARE OF THOSE, AND THAT I WELCOME STUDENTS TALKING TO ME IF THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON, AND I WILL TRY TO SUPPORT THEM IF I CAN.

AND I JUST THINK THAT SORT OF ESTABLISHES A KIND OF CULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM.

IN THIS CASE, A ZOOM CLASSROOM, THAT COULD BE HELPFUL TO STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING, SUFFERING, AND DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT OR WHO TO TALK TO ABOUT IT.

>> Reilly: AS YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, I FIND MYSELF THINK THIS COULD BE AN AREA IN WHICH COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC WE LEARN TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAT IN RETROSPECT WE COULD HAVE BEEN DOING DIFFERENTLY BEFORE, AND MAYBE THERE IS A BENEFIT THAT COMES OUT OF THIS, HAVING THE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

LAYANIE, I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF THESE STUDENTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

YOU TRIED, I KNOW, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC THAT DIDN'T WORK AND THEN FOUND SOMETHING THAT DID.

CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY RECAP THAT JOURNEY OF YOURS?

>> OF COURSE.

IN THAT MOMENT WHERE I WAS FEELING DEPRESSED, WHEN I WAS FEELING ANXIOUS, I ACTUALLY FOUND THE MEANS TO NAME HOW I WAS FEELING, I FIRST TRIED BASICALLY KEEPING MYSELF BUSY.

THERE WAS NO MOMENT IN TIME (indiscernable) TO FEEL THAT, AND THEN I TRIED COUNSELING, THERAPY, WHICH WAS PROVIDED FOR FREE BY UMASS BOSTON.

AND THAT ITSELF DIDN'T WORK.

IT WASN'T UNTIL I STARTED MY CLASS WITH PROFESSOR DR. SHIRLEY TAM OF ASIAN-AMERICAN PROGRAM, WHERE SHE WAS TEACHING US HOW TO INTERACT WITH OUR ACADEMIC WORK THREE HEALING, STORY-TELLING, SOLIDARITY, IN THE CLASS AND OUTSIDE THE CLASS.

SHE MADE HERSELF AVAILABLE TO US.

AND WE PRACTICED EVERY DAY, EVERY CLASS -- WE PRACTICED MEDITATION.

WE HAD SOME TIME TO REFLECT AND TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE FEELING, HOW OUR BODIES WERE FEELING EMERCIALLY,EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY, AND PHYSICALLY.

AND THAT WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANYTHING I TRIED PRIOR TO THAT.

THE ABILITY TO HAVE A PROFESSOR MAKE HERSELF AVAILABLE TO YOU OUTSIDE THE CLASS SPACE, IT WAS WONDERFUL.

IT WAS LIFE-CHANGING AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME.

>> Reilly: LET ME ASK YOU A CLOSING QUESTION, IN ABOUT A MINUTE, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PROFESSORS, PARENTS, FELLOW STUDENTS, PEOPLE IN THE ORBIT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS LIKE YOURSELF, AS WE HOPEFULLY COME OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC?

>> SO YOU'RE PROFESSORS ARE NOT MIND READERS, AND WE, AS THE STUDENTS WILL NOT TELL YOU EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS SPACE.

SO I FEEL LIKE BUILDING THAT SOLIDARITY, THAT FRIENDSHIP, WHEREBY I CAN TEXT YOU OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS, MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE, BOTH PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS, MAKING YOURSELVES AVAILABLE TO EACH OTHER TO SPEAK ABOUT THINGS OUTSIDE OF ACADEMICS WILL FOSTER THAT SENSE OF TRUST, AND THAT ABILITY TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE FEELING, EITHER IF YOU'RE DEPRESSED OR ANXIOUS.

SO BUILDING THAT RAPPORT OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS SPACE IS SOMETHING I FEEL WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING.

>> Reilly: ON THAT NOTE, LAYANIE OSCAR, SUSY, AND SARAH KETCHEN LIPSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Reilly: AS CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS PLATEAU ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WITH A CONSIDERABLE SPIKE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE URGING AMERICANS TO HANG ON A LITTLE LONGER WHILE WE SPEED AHEAD TOWARDS SOME DEGREE OF HERD IMMUNITY.

>> IT'S ALMOST A RACE BETWEEN GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED AND THIS SURGE THAT SEEMS TO WANT TO INCREASE.

THE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE YOU GET VACCINATED, THE CLOSER AND CLOSER YOU GET TO CONTROL.

I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE IF WE KEEP VACCINATING PEOPLE AT THE RATE THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

>> Reilly: SO FAR CLOSE TO 65 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE U.S. ARE FULLY VACCINATED.

AND WHILE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE CLEAR THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASK RULES, AND TRAVEL WARNINGS STILL APPLY WHEN IN PUBLIC PLACES AND AROUND VULNERABLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE VACCINE, INOCULATION COMES WITH NEW FREEDOMS TO GATHER AND SOCIALIZE FREELY IN WAYS WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO SAFELY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR NOW.

AND ACCORDING TO THE LATEST GUIDELINES FROM THE C.D.C., THAT INCLUDES TRAVEL, TOO, WITH LOW RISK FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE WHO FLY WITHIN THE U.S. "BOSTON GLOBE" TRAVEL WRITER CHRISTOPHER MUTHER JOINED JIM BRAUDE EARLIER THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS.

>> Braude: CHRISTOPHER, GOOD TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU AS WELL.

>> Braude: SO THE C.D.C.

HAS FINALLY SPOKEN ON TRAVEL.

YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED, THAT MEANS TWO SHOTS, MDERNA, PFIZER, PLUS TWO WEEKS, OR ONE JOHNSON & JOHNSON PLUS A WEEK.

IF YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED, WHAT CAN YOU DO ON THE TRAVEL FRONT?

>> SO DOMESTICALLY, IT MEANS YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH TRAVEL WHEREVER.

THE THING IS BEFORE YOU COULD DO THAT, TOO, FOR THE MOST PART, DEPENDING ON STATE RESTRICTIONS.

BUT NOW THE C.D.C.

ISN'T GOING TO THROW SHADE IN YOUR DIRECTION IF YOU TRAVEL.

IT MEANS IF YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED, AND YOU'RE STILL TAKING PRECAUTIONS, THE C.D.C.

IS SAYING, OKAY, IT IS SAFE FOR YOU TO TRAVEL NOW.

>> Braude: NOW, ARE YOU VACCINATED -- I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO ASK THAT.

LET ME PUT IT ANOTHER WAY: ARE YOU VACCINATED?

>> THAT'S LIKE ASKING MY AGE.

I'M NOT VACCINATED.

>> Braude: OKAY.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE ASKED.

THERE ARE RULES, ALSO, IF YOU'RE UNVACCINATED.

THE BASIC RULE IS ONE WORD: DON'T.

CORRECT?

>> EXACTLY.

THE C.D.C.

STILL ADVISES AGAINST PEOPLE TRAVELING IF THEY'RE NOT VACCINATED.

THERE IS -- IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR PAGE, HOWEVER, THERE IS A LONG LIST OF REQUIREMENTS IF YOU ARE NOT VACCINATED AND STILL CHOOSE TO TRAVEL.

SO YOU CAN DO IT, BUT THEY JUST DON'T RECOMMEND IT.

THERE IS NO KIND OF TEETH TO IT, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

>> Braude: BUT FOR THAT, YOU GET TESTED BEFORE AND TESTED AFTER, AND IF YOU HAVE TO QUARANTINE, YOU QUARANTINE, BUT IT IS MUCH TIGHTER AND THEIR BASIC RECOMMENDATION IS DON'T.

WE'RE ON THE VIRGE OF, I KNOW CRUISE LINES, AND POSSIBLY AIRLINES AS WELL, REQUIRING VACCINATIONS FOR TRAVEL.

IS THAT IN OUR FUTURE?

>> THAT IS IN OUR FUTURE.

CRUISE LINES ARE ALREADY REQUIRING VACCINATIONS.

THE C.D.C.

STILL ISN'T ALLOWING CRUISES TO ORIGINATE OUT OF THE U.S., BUT THE CRUISE LINES ARE GETTING A LITTLE CRAFTY WITH THAT AND ORIGINATING OUT OF THE CARIBBEAN.

SO RIGHT NOW THERE ARE NO AIRLINES THAT ARE REQUIRING PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE COUNTRIES THAT ARE REQUIRING PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED.

SO LET'S SAY YOU WANT TO GO TO ICELAND OR YOU WANT TO GO TO BALESE, IF YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED YOU CAN GO WITHOUT QUARANTINING NOW.

>> Braude: I SEE.

CHRISTOPHER, I'M GUESSING THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE SORT OF BE A LITTLE FAINT OF HEART AND PROBABLY STAY CLOSER TO HOME.

SO LET'S SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES TALKING ABOUT A NEW/OLD HOTEL AND A BRAND NEW ONE.

THE NEW/OLD ONE IS THE RITZ, AND TO SAY YOU WERE IMPRESSED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT?

>> I THINK IT IS A FAIR STATEMENT.

I PRETTY MUCH-NEEDED A FAINTING SOFA AND SMELLING SALTS WHEN I WALKED IN I LIKED IT SO MUCH.

>> Braude: WHY?

>> THEY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB.

IT IS SO SORT OF SOPHISTICATED AND SUBLIME IN THERE IN A WAY THAT ISN'T REALLY BOSTON.

AM I ALLOWED TO SAY THAT?

>> Braude: YOU MAY.

>> YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO GO WITH THAT BECAUSE I JUST SAID IT.

THEY DID A REALLY FANTASTIC JOFNLT JOB.

THEY BROUGHT IN INTERNATIONALLY-ACCLAIMED DESIGNERS.

IT IS THE OLD RITZ AND THEN IT WAS THE TAJ UP UNTIL 2019, AND THE TAJ WAS LOOKING A LITTLE TATTERED-AROUND THE ECHESZ.

EDGES.

>> Braude: THE NEW HOTEL, WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE CALLED?

>> THE NEWBURG.

>> Braude: PEOPLE ARE STILL CALLING THE T.D -- WHATEVER IT IS, THE GARDEN.

I KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE THIS, BUT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CALL IT THE RITZ, DON'T YOU THINK?

>> THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING TO CALL IT THE RITZ.

YOU HAVE A BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1927, AND FOR, I DON'T KNOW, WHO 50 YEARS IT WAS THE RITZ THERE.

YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER.

DIDN'T YOU HAVE YOUR DEBUTANTE PROM THERE?

>> Braude: YOU USED WORDS AS WARM, PLAYFUL, AND TAILERED, WAS HE TALKING ABOUT THE HOTEL OR YOU?

>> OH, GO ON.

I MEAN GO.

THAT ALL DESCRIBES ME ACCEPT FOR WARM.

I'M A LITTLE MORE ICY.

>> Braude: I FIND PLAYFUL TO BE MORE APPROPRIATE.

CAN WE GET CLOSER TO HOME.

I CHECKED IT OUT, A HALF MILE FROM MY HOUSE IS 907MAIN, AND I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DESIGN, BUT IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

AND WHEN I DROVE BY ON SATURDAY, THERE WERE SITTING -- I DON'T THINK IT IS OPEN YET, BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE SITTING ON THE ROOF DECK AND IT WAS GREAT.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS PLACE?

>> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT WHEN YOU SAID YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DESIGN -- [LAUGHTER] >> NO.

IT LOOKS GREAT.

I ACTUALLY STAYED THERE A FEW WEEKS AGO.

AND IT WAS -- I THINK THEY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB FOR CENTRAL SQUARE, BECAUSE CENTRAL SQUARE YOU DON'T THINK BOUTIQUE HOTEL.

AND IF THEY OVERDID IT, LET'S SAY THEY TURNED IT INTO THE NEWBURY AND THEY MADE IT PLAYFUL AND TAILERED, LIKE ME, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD FIT.

IT IS A MIX OF GRITTY AND ACADEMIC.

SO THEY FOUND, LIKE, THE COOL ASPECT OF IT THAT THEY USE IN THEIR RESTAURANT.

AND THEN THE ROOMS THEMSELVES, I THINK ACADEMIC -- I BELIEVE IF ACADEMIC CHIC WAS A WORD, IT SHOULD BE APPLIED TO THAT.

>> Braude: IS THIS GOING TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?

IS IT A BAR OR RESTAURANT -- WHAT IS IT?

>> IT IS A BAR.

AND IT WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

I THINK IT IS PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY ROOF DECK IN THAT AREA.

THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.

I'M GOING ON WHAT THEY SAY.

I THINK IT WILL BE -- YOU KNOW, THIS SUMMER PEOPLE WILL STILL WANT TO BE OUTSIDE EVEN ONCE THEY'RE VACCINATED, SO I THINK IT WILL BE A HIT.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES ON EARTH IS PROVINCE TOWN, AND IT WAS JUST VOTED AS THE 10th FRIENDLIEST PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES.

YOU WROTE ABOUT THAT AND YOU HAD AN INTERESTING COMMENT.

YOU WROTE: "ALALL OF MY GAY FRIENDS ARE BITTER QUEENS."

DID YOU GET ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT ANALYSIS?

>> DO YOU MEAN FROM MY BITTER QUEEN FRIENDS OR FROM OTHER PEOPLE?

>> Braude: THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.

>> WHEN I MAKE FUN OF MY FRIENDS IN PRINT, THEY KIND OF LOVE IT, AND THEY KNOW IT IS TRUE.

I DIDN'T HEAR FROM ANY BITCHY QUEEN WRITERS -- I MEAN READERS.

I SEEM TO RECALL YOU SENT ME AN E-MAIL ABOUT IT, UNDER A PSEUDONYM OF SOME SORT.

>> Braude: LET ME SAY, IF I MAY -- I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU -- ONE OF THE GREATEST PLACES ON EARTH AND IT DESEX TRAFFICKING TO BE -- AND IT DESERVESTO BE IN THE TOP 10.

>> THANK YOU FOR NOTICING.

>> Reilly: AND FINALLY TONIGHT, A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU ALL HAVE SENT IN DURING THESE PANDEMIC TIMES.

JANE SENT IN A PHOTO OF THESE HANGING CRANES DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO HAVE DIED FROM COVID, WITH A SIGN THAT READ: "MAY THE WINGS OF THESE CRANES BRING HOPE AND HEALING, NEW LIFE AND PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE."

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE, JANE.

MERI SAYS SHE CAME ACROSS THIS PAINTED STONE READING: "ONWARD," WHICH SHE SAYS FELT APT FOR THE MOMENT.

INDEED, MERI.

AND FINALLY, CHRISTY SAID HER FAVORITE SIGN THAT SPRING IS HERE IS THE RETURN OF THE OSPREY BIRD, WHICH SHE SPOTTED NEAR THE AGAWAM RIVER.

THANK YOU, ALL, FOR SENDING THOSE IN.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US, USE THE ADDRESSES ON YOUR SCREEN.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT, BUT DO COME BACK TOMORROW FOR "BEAT THE PRESS."

EMILY ROONEY AND HER PANEL WILL TAKE UP THE END OF JUICY STORIES ABOUT INFIGHTING AT THE WHITE HOUSE, AND "60 MINUTES" UNDER FIRE FOR HIGHLY EDITING AN INTERVIEW WITH FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DeSANTIS.

THAT AND MORE, TOMORROW AT 7:00.

THANKS FOR WATCHING AND STAY SAFE.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org