In-person teaching will continue to take place "wherever possible" in Lent Term, Vice-Chancellor Stephen Toope has confirmed.

In an email sent to students this afternoon (12/01), Professor Toope said that plans for teaching in Lent "remain the same as they were in Michaelmas", with students expected to return to Cambridge unless "exceptional circumstances" apply.

Students will still be expected to wear face coverings in “all University teaching spaces”, with Toope saying that it is "essential that we continue to comply with all the mitigating measures we are already familiar with".

The University is asking all returning students to take a test before returning to College, and to report any positive results to the University's COVID helpdesk.

Toope also confirmed that the asymptomatic pooled PCR testing programme will continue for the first two weeks of Lent Term.

He encouraged students to get their booster vaccine, saying that this will allow the University to "offer the best possible experience for our students, and the safest possible environment for our community."

The confirmation comes after a message sent to students last week urged them to get fully vaccinated and boosted, followed by the launch of a survey on students' vaccination status on Monday (10/01).

Today’s announcement comes against a backdrop of concern surrounding the Omicron variant of Covid-19, with the latest data showing a seven-day total of 1,725 Covid cases in Cambridge, an 8.6% increase on the previous week’s total.

The news sharply contrasts with last January’s announcement that all teaching in Lent 2021 would take place online, with most students completing the term away from Cambridge.