During Alert Level 3,  preventive measures will be treated as per this notification after June 1.

May 17, 2021

To students in the Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University

NAGAI Takaya
Dean, Graduate School of Science

The number of infected people with COVID-19 has been dramatically increasing in Hokkaido, especially in Sapporo, and the Hokkaido Government announced the State of Emergency on May 16. Accordingly, Hokkaido University has moved from Alert Level 2 (Restriction-Medium) to Alert Level 3 (Restriction-High) prescribed in the Hokkaido University Business Continuity Plan During Coronavirus Outbreak (BCP).

https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/university-life/health-and-wellness/covid-19-health-alerts-and-advisories/

In response to this announcement, the Graduate School of Science has decided to take the following measures for the time being (at least until May 31). The students of the Graduate School of Science are kindly requested to continue to practice “new normal” school life.

1. Traveling and Outings

• To reduce the risk of infection when traveling, please strictly refrain from non-essential and non-urgent traveling and outings regardless of distance. If you have to travel out of Hokkaido due to job hunting, etc., please be careful and take all measures for infection prevention. In addition, be sure to inform your supervisor about your traveling purpose, destination, and period.
• If you have cold-like symptoms such as fever, please refrain from traveling and outings. Even if the fever has gone down, refrain from going out for a few days.
• We encourage the use of the COVID-19 Contact App (COCOA), a smartphone app available in Japanese, Chinese, and English.

2. Visiting the University

• Please avoid unnecessary visiting the campus. 
• Students are not allowed to use any rooms in the Science Buildings except to attend face-to-face classes and research activities.
• Science Building #2 and #5 in the School of Science will be locked all day. If you need to enter these buildings, use your student ID card.
• While in the building, wear a face mask (bring your own mask). We highly recommend the use of a non-woven mask in the buildings. Wash your hands, disinfect your fingers, and pay attention to cough manner.
• Limit your stay in the School of Science as short as possible.
• Avoid group dining as much as possible.
• Take your temperature every day and record the results (use the mobile phone app “Health Diary” or “Health Check Sheet” prescribed by the university) to monitor your health status. If necessary, you may be asked to submit the record.
  Health Check Sheet:.
  https://www.hokudai.ac.jp/gakusei/healthchecksheet.pdf

3. Courses under the BCP Alert Level 3 (lecture, seminar, exercise, laboratory experiment) 

• All lectures will be conducted online from May 24.
• Exercises, seminars, and experiments will be conducted online in principle. However, if face-to-face sessions are truly essential for educational effectiveness, a part of these may be conducted face-to-face after taking sufficient measures to prevent the spread of infection. Please follow the instructions from the instructors.
• When participating in face-to-face teaching, please make sure that you wear a mask and wash your hands/disinfect your fingers frequently.
• Uses of on-campus Wi-Fi for participating courses are prohibited. The Graduate School of Science loans Mobile Wi-Fi Routers to students who do not have proper internet access at home. If you are applicable, please consult with the Academic Affairs Section (rkyo1(at)sci.hokudai.ac.jp).
• The information regarding classes, courses of study, and school life will be posted
  on the Rigaku Joho System, so please check the course information regularly.
  https://www.sci.hokudai.ac.jp/jimu_renraku/

4. Research Activities

• In principle, all the graduate students are requested to do research activities at home.
• To conduct essential research activities in laboratories or field works, the supervisor must communicate well about potential risks and issues with the graduate students in advance. After both parties reach consent, supervisors may seek permission from the Dean of the Faculty of Science in writing. When conducting research in a laboratory, give maximum consideration to infection prevention, such as keeping the number of people in the laboratory and period of stay to the minimum.
• Sapporo is considered as the city with a high number of infected. Please refrain from conducting fieldwork as much as possible.

5. Questions about the study/university life, etc.

• At Level 3, the administrative department at the Graduate School of Science is also closed all the time. If you have any questions regarding the study or various procedures, please contact the Graduate School Educational Affairs Section by email (r-gakuin (at) sci.hokudai.ac.jp).
• However, if you have an urgent matter, please come to the counter.

6．Mental Care Office

• The Faculty of Science has the Mental Care Office. Currently, it only offers email or telephone consultations. A clinical psychologist counselor is there to help with any concerns you may have. If you have any concerns, please feel free to make an appointment for a telephone consultation by email (nayami(at)sci.hokudai.ac.jp). It also accepts consultations by email only. For more information, please visit
  https://www2.sci.hokudai.ac.jp/faculty/counseling

7．Contact information in case you have been diagnosed with COVID-19

• If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or are suspected of being infected, or if you have been designated as a close contact, you must report to the university (Do not come to school.)
  Weekdays 8:30-17:00
  Graduate School Educational Affairs Section 011-706-3675
• If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 at night, on weekends, or holidays, contact the Disaster Prevention Center of the School of Science immediately.　The administration office will contact you later to ask about the details.
  Weekdays 5:00 p.m. – /Weekends and holidays All day,
  Disaster Prevention Center of the School of Science 011-706-2660