Harvard’s Newest Lesson: How To Mask and Eat at the Same Time

Harvard University was founded in 1636 in order to train an elite class of Puritan ministers. Nearly four centuries later, the school has not abandoned that mission. In a campus-wide email sent Friday, the university weighed in on an ecclesiastical controversy that has dogged the secular clergy of our own time: how to eat in public with a mask on.

“Eating and drinking together are a cornerstone of human social interaction,” Harvard’s health director Giang Nguyen acknowledged in the email. But there are still “efficient” ways to “minimize the time spent unmasked and in close proximity.” To that end, Nguyen outlined some tips for staying “safe” in the dining hall.

“Follow the ‘Quick Sip Rule,’” the email told members of the Ivy League university, whose alumni include eight U.S. presidents and Xi Jinping’s daughter. “Lower your mask, take a sip, and then promptly cover your mouth and nose. A straw can make this more efficient.” – READ MORE