Carleton University will resume in-person classes and reopen its facilities on Feb. 7, according to a written statement from president and vice-chancellor Benoit-Antoine Bacon.
In an email to students on Dec. 16, 2021, Carleton announced all classes would be held virtually until the end of January due to the spread of the Omicron variant. In the statement released on the Carleton website on Jan. 18, Bacon wrote that unless the trajectory of the pandemic changes significantly, Carleton campus will reopen in February while adhering to public health guidelines.
“The Omicron spike will be narrow, with cases likely having peaked or being about to peak, and expected to decrease rapidly thereafter,” Bacon wrote in the letter. “The Ontario university sector is moving towards a resumption of in-person activities.”
Thirty-nine members of the Carleton community reported positive COVID-19 test results in December of 2021, according to Carleton’s case tracker. As of Jan. 18, the Carleton community has reported 11 cases of the virus, two of which are active.
Other Canadian universities are also set to reopen in February. The University of Western Ontario and X University are both slated to restart in-person learning on Jan. 31. The University of Waterloo is scheduled to reopen on Feb. 7.
While Carleton’s December announcement stated classes would return on Jan. 31, Bacon wrote the extra week delay would allow the university to reassess the state of the pandemic and “give everyone additional time to prepare.”
The announcement did not specify whether Carleton’s exams, athletic facilities, library and businesses will also be available in-person.
Safety measures such as masks, CUScreen and symptom reporting will remain mandatory on campus, according to the letter. Bacon also wrote that he encouraged students to get booster vaccinations.
“We strongly recommend that all members of the Carleton community get their third dose booster of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible,” Bacon wrote.
Featured imaged by Arno Ryser
