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<Provost & Vice-President Yuko Kitagawa>
The "Keio University 50,000 Person Workplace Vaccination Project," to restore the campus life which students had been deprived of due to the impact of COVID-19, began under the strong leadership and determination of President Itoh. I will now give you all an overview of the 57-day project that ran at the Mita Campus vaccination venue, beginning on June 21 and concluding on September 3.
A total of 98,008 vaccines were administered successfully, with 49,320 first doses and 48,688 second doses. In addition to the 25,000 persons related to Keio University (students), vaccination of 15,000 students from other universities who plan to study abroad was completed. This was achieved through the cooperation of faculty, staff, individual alumni, members of alumni associations of the three undergraduate faculties for healthcare and medicine, as well as staff from cooperating hospitals, and administrative staff joining to assist from across all Keio campuses. My sincerest gratitude to each and all.
Meanwhile, the most important factor in the workplace vaccination program was that it be conducted safely. To this end, we adopted a system whereby we could respond to any potential circumstances. Throughout the program, a total of 383 people reported feeling unwell immediately after receiving doses of the vaccine, and were treated at a first aid center. Of these, six people were taken to hospital on a precautionary basis, with just one hospitalization for follow-up observation. Even in this case, the patient did not ultimately experience any severe health repercussions. No one was diagnosed as having experienced a clear case of anaphylaxis, which would have precluded them from receiving a second dose. I am convinced that the workplace vaccinations were conducted in an overwhelmingly safe manner.
However, I understand that many were concerned about the issue of foreign contaminants found in some vaccination lots. Unfortunately, Keio was also provided with vaccines from a contaminated lot, and 4,388 participants may have received doses of these vaccines. As of now, no negative health effects have been reported. While it is not advisable that foreign substances be left behind in the body, in actual clinical practice metal materials have therapeutic applications and are used in surgeries or endovascular procedures. Therefore, even if a trace amount of metal should enter a muscle it is unlikely to have an adverse effect on one’s health. In addition, around 1,700 persons were unable to be vaccinated on schedule, for which we sincerely apologize.
Now I would like to discuss breakthrough infections. While it is impossible to reduce the number of breakthrough infections to zero, here is the data for the Pfizer-manufactured vaccine used for priority vaccination of medical personnel from Shinanomachi. Of 3,135 medical personnel, 16 experienced breakthrough infections, occurring after they had received both doses of the vaccine. However, all cases were either asymptomatic or mild, and most occurred from transmission within households. In other words, no hospital borne infections have occurred thus far. I therefore feel safe in concluding that vaccination has a significant mitigating effect on infection rates, symptomatic cases, and development of severe cases. Vaccination is of course voluntary rather than compulsory. Nevertheless, I extend my sincere gratitude to the many people who weighed the available information for themselves and decided to get vaccinated.
Now, what should our approach be, and how should we conduct ourselves considering that vaccinations have finished and the Fall Semester is upon us? For an answer, I ask that you turn your attention to President Itoh.
<President Kohei Itoh>
Students of Keio, the Fall Semester is finally upon us. Our program, beginning on June 21, to vaccinate 50,000 people on Mita Campus has successfully concluded. I would like firstly to express my gratitude to all the government officials at the Cabinet Secretariat, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), who gave us this opportunity, as well as the medical professionals and Keio staff who guided the program to its fruition.
I am also sincerely grateful to all Keio students for their cooperation with our plans to reinstate campus life and to reduce the effects of COVID-19 in society through promoting vaccinations. As many as 80% of undergraduate and graduate school students at Keio University were vaccinated at Mita Campus. In addition, a similar percentage of faculty and staff members and other persons who work on campus have now also been fully vaccinated. I am pleased to note that the CDC, the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as other scientific publications have indicated the relative effectiveness of the Moderna vaccine against the Delta variant of COVID-19.
In tandem with the vaccination program, Keio was able to begin approving Athletic Association and student club activities over the summer vacation even in the context of the 4th state of emergency, by implementing a screening process in which they clearly outlined their safeguards to prevent infections. With vaccinations ongoing and concerns remaining in advance of the full effect of vaccinations, I am confident that students complied with our request to "refrain from eating in groups, drinking parties, or travel, even if you have been vaccinated, until vaccinations in the general population catch up." Studying trends in the number of infections among Keio students, it becomes clear that even during the period in August when Japan was experiencing a fifth wave caused by the Delta variant, the number of infections among the Keio student body continued to decrease. This means that, in fact, the fifth wave never happened at Keio University. This is entirely a result of the discipline shown by Keio students in their daily lives. My sincerest thanks to you all.
With this, I can decisively say to students that a new chapter of campus life is now about to begin. For you all, this will not be a question of returning to how things were. Rather, you will be the Keio students charged with creating a new, post-pandemic, ideal campus life. You will be the leaders who change yourselves, organizations, and society. I hope that you will enrich yourselves through your studies and conduct yourselves so as to create the world of the next 10, 30, even 50 years. I also encourage you to engage proactively with faculty members and your peers. Keio University is a place where you will meet lifelong friends, as well as the starting point for a virtuous circle in your life to come. My hope is that we will be a university at which you are proud to say you studied, and one which will remain with you throughout your life. We will create such a university alongside all of you, the students of Keio.
While we aim to have our new campus life up and running by the Spring Semester, for this Fall Semester we will continue to follow the policies which have been in place to date. This includes conducting face-to-face classes on campus in well-ventilated rooms at 50% of normal capacity, in a hybrid format with online classes, and the continuation of activities by authorized bodies including Athletic Association teams and student clubs. Study abroad will also be permitted.
To conclude I have an important request for all Keio students. It is now mandatory to wear masks made from non-woven materials in classrooms. I also urge you to wear masks made from non-woven materials on your commute to university, in consideration of the fact that vaccinations have yet to achieve full coverage in society. If non-woven masks do not agree with your skin, please wear one over a cloth mask. In addition, please remain vigilant in refraining from any conversation when taking meals at the cafeterias on campus and other such locations. I hope that you make the most of your campus life but also remain exemplary in your activities when off campus. This Fall Semester, let us enjoy our studies and each other's company!
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