Dear students, faculty and staff,
As the state of emergency in Miyagi prefecture has been lifted, the university will lower its Emergency Action Plan, or BCP, to level 2 from today.
This means that most classes will remain online, but research activities will be allowed, as long as infection prevention measures are strictly adhered to. These include minimizing the time spent in the laboratories and thoroughly cleaning all shared equipment.
There's good news with regards to extracurricular, club and volunteer activities. At BCP level 2, these activities had previously been prohibited. But we have decided to let some activities resume if student organisations can submit a safe plan, or hold their activities online. Organizations who wish to apply for permission to resume their activities should submit this form.
For faculty and staff, online meetings are preferred, and non-urgent business trips are strongly discouraged. Please avoid going to parts of Japan that have high infection rates or that are currently in a state of emergency. Some administrative staff should continue to work from home or keep flexible hours to reduce the number of people in each office.
This relaxation of rules will hopefully allow students to feel more comfortable in class and to enjoy a small slice of campus life. But it does not mean that we can let our guard down. In fact, the new variant strains of the coronavirus have proven to be extremely contagious, so at BCP level 2, all basic infection prevention measures still apply.
Tohoku University students, faculty and staff must wear a mask or face covering at all times, especially when talking or closely interacting with others. Please wash your hands often and thoroughly, refrain from large social gatherings and always avoid places that have the 3Cs - closed spaces, crowded places and/or close-contact settings.
The risk of infection from classes - especially when safety protocols are followed - appears to be relatively low. Almost all cases of infection among students so far have been due to off-campus activities such as karaoke and dinner parties, so please behave responsibly.
Let's all work together so that we can continue to keep our campus open.
Contact:
Tohoku University International PR SectionTel: +81-22-217-4816
Fax: +81-22-217-4818
Email: public_relations
grp.tohoku.ac.jp