Yes from the point of view of observers. From the Nature article abstract: "in practice, this means that a light pulse propagating through the atomic vapour ce

Yes from the point of view of observers. From the Nature article abstract: "in practice, this means that a light pulse propagating through the atomic vapour cell appears at the exit side so much earlier than if it had propagated the same distance in a vacuum that the peak of the pulse appears to leave the cell before entering it. "