Fresno State moves classes online to combat omicron variant. Here’s the latest
Fresno State students will spend at least the first week of classes during the upcoming spring semester online only, the university announced Wednesday.
The semester begins Jan. 20, with most classes available online only.
In-person instruction is scheduled to resume Jan. 31, Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval said in a message to students.
Fresno State joins other California State Universities moving classes online to begin the semester in response to the latest COVID-19 surge sparked by the omicron variant.
“Fresno County continues to report rapidly increasing numbers of cases, which have prompted great uncertainty regarding the more infectious Omicron variant,” Jiménez-Sandoval said.
Fresno County hospitals have seen a jump in the number of people admitted with confirmed cases of COVID-19, creating a growing burden on the medical system that corresponds with a nearly doubling rate of new infections in the last week. Plus, hospital staff are also contracting COVID-19, putting extra strain on staffing levels.
Sacramento State University on Wednesday morning appeared to be the first California State University to take action and move classes online for the spring semester. UC Merced made a similar move Tuesday and will require booster shots for those eligible, following University of California requirements.
To deal with the omicron variant during the spring semester, Fresno State will aim to increase vaccination rates, including boosters; continue mandating face coverings; continue weekly mandatory testing for people who are not vaccinated, and add support for rapid antigen testing.
The campus will remain open while classes resume virtually. Students without Internet access for virtual classes can pick up hotspots at the DISCOVERe Hub. The library and student union also will remain open, and broader outdoor Internet access is scheduled to be complete by Jan. 18.
Certain classes that need to remain in-person will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Students should expect to hear from their instructors about how the class will move forward.
The university plans to resume in-person events Feb. 1, but it may consider limiting or canceling events that don’t require proof of vaccination or a negative entry tests.
The campus is offering free vaccines and boosters to students, faculty, and staff on Tuesday, Jan. 11, Tuesday, Jan. 25, and Thursday, Jan. 27.
The campus testing center also is open and available for free. The university is working to obtain at-home antigen self-tests.
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 11:56 AM.