April 5, 2022

To all Keio students,

Request regarding extracurricular activities and eating in group settings for the start of the academic year

As per the announcement, "The Start of Classes for the 2022 Academic Year" dated March 11, 2022, the university will conduct more than 90% of its classes in person beginning from April while also continuing to take every necessary precaution against the spread of infections. Campus life is steadily recovering.

There will be no major changes to the current status quo regarding extracurricular activities in April. Please continue to follow the "Preventing Infections While Enjoying Extracurricular Activities" guidelines issued on November 1, 2021.

We expect that most student organizations plan to advertise their group and recruit new students during the April orientation period. In order to facilitate an enjoyable and fulfilling campus life moving forward, we again strongly urge all Keio students to take action to help prevent infections from spreading.
　
As the new academic year begins, you will spend more time with friends, both on and off campus. In doing so, you will be more inclined to engage in conversation with friends over a meal together. You may also wish to hold welcome parties within student groups and seminars. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. The risk of infection increases in group meal settings, especially when masks are removed or when more than four people are present. And while the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the governing body of Keio University's jurisdiction, may have lifted the quasi-state of emergency, they have designated the period until the end of April as a "rebound alert period" in which residents are cautioned to remain vigilant. Therefore, please try to dine alone and in silence to avoid the spread of infection during mealtimes. This applies to both indoor and outdoor situations.

Likewise, there is still the threat of new variants emerging. Keio University began administering booster vaccinations on campus on March 22, taking action to ensure that Keio students can usher in the new academic year with peace of mind. However, we must not forget to be considerate of those who choose not to vaccinate due to varying circumstances. Just as in the past, we expect that each and every Keio student will pay heed to their surroundings, carefully observe infection control measures, and act in accordance with regulations.
If you or someone around you is infected with COVID-19, such as in the bullet points descriptions below, please follow the appropriate flowchart of what to do:
・When you test positive for COVID-19
・When a person close to you tests positive for COVID-19 or you are contacted by someone who tested positive
・When someone in your student club tests positive for COVID-19

Through these precautions, the Student Affairs Center will continue to call on all Keio students to take thorough precautions to prevent infection and mitigate the spread of the virus, closely monitor infection levels, and take into account overall current events and societal trends, so that we might create a safer and more supportive campus for our students to enjoy.