Coronavirus Spike Sends Harvard University Remote In January
CAMBRIDGE, MA —Students will not be returning to the Harvard University campus following the holiday break as the school shifts to remote education amid the latest coronavirus surge.
The university said in a letter to the school community on Saturday that Harvard will go remote for at least the first three weeks of January.
"Please know that we do not take this step lightly," the school said in a joint statement from Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow and university officials. "It is prompted by the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases locally and across the country, as well as the growing presence of the highly transmissible omicron variant. It is enforced by the guidance of public health experts who have advised the university throughout the pandemic.
"As always, we make this decision with the health and safety of our community as our top priority."
During the three-week pause in in-person learning, only students previously authorized to remain on campus should plan to be on the Cambridge and Allston campus. Individual schools will work with students on their January programs and studies.
Some programs, such as in-person laboratory or patient case, will remain in-person.
Library services will be available online. All faculty, staff and researchers should plan to work remotely, if possible.
"Public health experts anticipate the increase in COVID-19 cases to continue, driven by the omicron variant, which we have now confirmed is already present in our campus community," the university said. "The omicron variant is expected to become the dominant variant across the country in the coming weeks, potentially peaking in the first few weeks of January."
"We are planning a return to more robust on-campus activities later in January, public health conditions permitting."
Cornell University, another Ivy League school, sent their students home for remote finals last week after hundreds of coronavirus cases besieged the campus.
The Ivy League schools were among the first institutions to send students home and cancel athletic seasons at the onset of the coronavirus health crisis in March 2020.
Ivy League spring sports seasons were canceled on March 10 — one day before the NBA suspended its season and four days before Gov. Charlie Baker ordered all non-essential businesses in Massachusetts to close for what was originally supposed to be a three-week span because of the burgeoning virus.
This article originally appeared on the Cambridge Patch
