UBC temporarily moving classes online in response to Omicron

The University of British Columbia (UBC) will temporarily move to online classes when school resumes in January.

The announcement was made on Wednesday afternoon and is in response to the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

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“In consultation with the Deans of Faculties across both campuses, UBC will approach the start of Term 2 with a brief, interim period where most classes will begin online,” the school says in a statement.

“This decision will provide certainty for our students and allow time for faculty and staff to prepare course materials and student supports and services to ensure that excellent teaching and learning activities are maintained in all delivery modalities.”

COVID-19: Planning for 2021/22 Winter Session, Term 2 at #UBC https://t.co/IRgKpRDmnK pic.twitter.com/AHvYpafZOB

— UBC Media Relations (@ubcnews) December 22, 2021

UBC adds that Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry addressed post-secondary learning in a written letter and recommended that on-campus instruction continues in January.

Classes will resume on January 4 or 10, 2022, depending on the program. The majority of classes will be held online until January 24, with the exception of courses that include clinical, experiential, performance, or studio components.

Further details on specific programs will be provided ahead of when the courses begin in January. In addition, campuses, student housing, student services, and all libraries will remain open.

“Our intention is to enable a safe return to fully in-person learning and instruction on January 24,” the school says. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will update the community in the first week of the new year.”