Dear students, faculty and staff -
On January 7, Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide declared a state of emergency for Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures, amidst rising COVID-19 cases. Major cities around the country, including Sendai, are also seeing a significant rise in the spread of coronavirus infection this winter.
In response to the nation-wide trend - and the multiple cases of infection reported on campus since December - I am raising the university's COVID-19 Emergency Action Plan (BCP) to Level Two.
This means that all classes will move back online, except for special cases such as examinations, experiments and situations where in-person instruction is necessary.
Students who have not received instructions about their classes for next week should contact their lecturers or professors.
Most research activities will be allowed to continue as long as measures are taken by each department to minimize the time spent in the laboratories.
Extracurricular, club and volunteer activities are all suspended unless they can be held online. Important university events should also be held online or be postponed. In-person events can only be held under special circumstances with the expressed approval of the dean of the relevant faculty or school.
For faculty and staff, online meetings are preferred and encouraged, All business trips are suspended and non-essential travel - especially to the four prefectures currently in a state of emergency - is strongly discouraged. For urgent or necessary travel, please be aware of the infection situation at the destination so that the right precautions can be taken.
On the administrative front, some staff will continue to telecommute or keep flexible hours and staggered shifts where possible. Staff working from home will have remote access to resources and meetings, so there should be little to no disruption to the daily workflow.
In addition to the points above, all basic infection prevention measures still apply, of course. Tohoku University students, faculty and staff must wear a mask or face covering at all times, practice good hygiene, refrain from social gatherings such as dinner and drinks, and always avoid places that have the 3Cs - closed spaces, crowded places and/or close-contact settings.
Let's continue to do the right things, look out for each other and have a safe start to the new year.
Contact:
Tohoku University International PR SectionTel: +81-22-217-4816
Fax: +81-22-217-4818
Email: public_relations
grp.tohoku.ac.jp