（English translation follows.）
令和 ３年 ４月３０日
学生，教職員の皆様学長（危機対策本部長） 仁科弘重
新型コロナウイルスによる感染症対策に関し，学生，教職員の皆様のこれまでのご尽力に感謝申し上げます。
令和３年４月２２日（木）から，愛媛大学では，「警戒レベル３（オレンジ）」の対応を取っており，授業についても，「特例的な授業を除き，遠隔授業のみ実施」としています。
まず，本学の危機対策本部会議での議論を含めて，私が考えていることは，以下のとおりです。
現在，愛媛県内で感染拡大しているのは「変異株」といわれるものです（既に，ほぼ１００％）。この変異株は，感染力が強く（※），重症化のスピードも速い
ことは周知の事実になっています。愛媛県が，大都市をもたない国内の県で初めて「まん延防止等重点措置」の適用対象とされたことも，国レベルで考えても，愛媛県の感染状況が非常に危機的な状況になっていると理解されたためと思います。変異株の感染拡大のため，２３日（金）に愛媛県医師会が会見を行ったように，愛媛県の医療は崩壊直前となっています。私どもは，附属病院の先生方から，現場の状況を毎日お聞きしています。これらのことから，「当面の間」と期間を限定し，「特例的な授業を除き，遠隔授業のみ実施」とさせていただきました。
※：愛媛県では，令和２年３月２日から３年３月１９日までの「３８４日間」で陽性者が１０８１名であったのに対して，令和３年３月２０日以降のわずか「４０日間」で１１９８名の陽性者が確認されています（４月２８日現在）。
以下，よくいただくご意見（Ｑuestion）について，私がどのように考えているか（Ａnswer）について述べます。
まず，「小中学校では対面の授業を行っているのに，なぜ，愛媛大学ではできないのか？」とのご意見については，次のように考えています。
「大学生は，授業時間では，感染に繋がる行動はしていない」はそのとおりと思います。しかし，大学生は，小中学校の児童，生徒とは異なり，授業時間の間の行動は大学生に任されています。また，残念ながら，本学でも事実として，授業時間の間の「密」になる行為，生協食堂での（マスクなし）会話が，散見されていました。この点を大きな懸念材料と考えています。
次に，「学生は自主的に，まじめに対策に取り組み，大きなクラスターを頻繁に発生させてこなかったのではないか？」とのご意見については，次のように考えています。
「大きなクラスターを頻繁に発生させてこなかった」のは事実ですが，１９日（月）の学長メッセージで「『「新たなウイルスによるパンデミック』と考えた方がよいほどの状況」と書きましたが，変異株の感染力は，これまでの私どもの経験を超えるものです。
「これまでは，このようにして，大丈夫だった」は，今後の対応を考える際の根拠とはならないと考えています。愛媛県で変異株による感染拡大が続いている現状をより深刻に受け止め，各自の行動を自制していかざるを得ないと考えています。
３つ目に，「授業やサークル・諸活動を対面型で実施しなければ，大学の魅力や先輩の経験を継承できないのではないか？」とのご意見については，確かにそのとおりです。
ただし，私どもは，「（対面の授業などを）危機的な状況にある現在でも行わなければならないか？」を検討しました。その結果，「当面の間」は１カ月程度を想定していますが，「１カ月できなかったことは，秋休みやその他の期間で，ある程度は行える，補える」と考えています。
私ども，教職員も，対面の授業を行いたいと考えています。しかし，コロナウイルス，特に「変異株」は感染力が非常に強く，また，若年層も重症化する事例が報告されています。
そのため，「今は」，可能な限り「stay home」を行わざるを得ません。
「絶対に今しなければならないこと以外は，延期」とせざるを得ません。
最後に，附属病院では，愛媛県の重症患者の半数以上（本来の定員以上）を引き受け，医師，看護師の皆さんの頑張りで，最大限の治療が続けられています。愛媛大学の構成員は，このことにも思いを致し，愛媛県内の感染拡大防止のために，「各人ができることをする」ことが必要だと考えています。愛媛県が，わが国が，世界が，早くコロナ禍から解放されるように，頑張っていきたいと思います。

April 30, 2021
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,NISHINA Hiroshige
President of Ehime University
I would like to express my gratitude to all students, faculty, and staff for their efforts against
infectious diseases caused by the new coronavirus.
Since Thursday, April 22, 2021, Ehime University has been on "Alert Level 3 (Orange),"and classes have been held only remotely, except for specially permitted classes.
First of all, I would like to explain what I think about the situation, including the discussion
at the Crisis Response Headquarters meeting.
The strains that are currently spreading in Ehime Prefecture are so-called "mutated strains"(already in almost 100% of the cases.). It is a well-known fact that this mutated strain is highly
infectious (*) and quickens the worsening of serious conditions. The fact that Ehime
Prefecture is the first prefecture in Japan without a major city to be subject to the ""priority
measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection (まん延防止等重点措置)" also
indicates that the infection situation in Ehime Prefecture is extremely critical, even at thenational level.

As stated in the press conference held by Ehime Prefectural Medical

Association on Friday, the 23rd, due to the spread of the mutated strain, the medical care ison the verge of collapse in Ehime Prefecture. We have been hearing about the situation on
the ground from the doctors of Ehime University Hospital every day.
For these reasons, we have decided to limit the time period to "for the time being" and “onlyoffer remote classes except for specially permitted classes.”*In Ehime Prefecture, the number of positive cases was 1,081 in 384 days from March 2, 2020
to March 19, 2021, while 1,198 cases were confirmed in only 40 days after March 20, 2021
(as of April 28).
In the following, I will explain what I think about the frequently asked questions. (Q&A)
First, "Why can't Ehime University offer face-to-face classes while elementary and juniorhigh schools do?

I think you are right when you say that "university students do not act in a way that leads toinfection during class time. However, unlike children and students in elementary and juniorhigh schools, the behavior of university students between classes is left up to them. In addition,
unfortunately, it is also a fact that in our university, there have been many instances of "closedcontact" behavior between classes and conversations (without masks) in the Co-op cafeteria.
This is a major concern for us.
Next, as for the opinion "students have been working on the countermeasures voluntarilyand seriously, and have not frequently generated large clusters,” here is what I think;
It is true that "we have not frequently generated large clusters," but as I stated in themessage from the President on Monday, March 19, "the situation is such that it is better toconsider it as a 'pandemic caused by a new virus’”, the infectious power of the mutated strain
is beyond our experience so far. We believe that "we have done this before and it worked fine"is not a basis for deciding on future infection control measures. We must take the current
situation of the continued spread of the mutated strains in Ehime Prefecture more seriously
and exercise restraint in our own behavior.
The third question is, " Isn't it impossible to pass on the appeal of the university and theexperience of our seniors if we don't conduct classes, clubs and activities in a face-to-facesituation?” You are absolutely right. However, we have examined the question, "Do we haveto hold face-to-face classes even in the current crisis situation?” As a result, "for the time
being" is assumed to be about one month, and we believe that what we could not do for one
month, we can make up for it to some extent during the fall vacation or other periods.
We, the faculty, would like to have face-to-face classes. However, coronaviruses, especiallythe "mutant strains," are very infectious, and there have been reports of cases where young
people have become seriously ill. Therefore, "for now", we have to "stay home" as much aspossible. We have no choice but to "postpone" anything that is not absolutely necessary now.
Lastly, Ehime University Hospital takes care of more than half of the critically ill patientsin Ehime Prefecture (more than the original capacity), and thanks to the hard work of thedoctors and nurses, the best possible treatment is being provided. The members of Ehime
University should be mindful of this and we believe that it is necessary for each of us to "dowhat we can" to prevent the spread of infection in Ehime Prefecture. We would like to do ourbest so that Ehime Prefecture, our country, and the world can be freed from the coronadisaster as soon as possible.