The University of Washington announced Tuesday it will implement remote learning for the first week of the winter quarter due to growing concerns about the rapidly spreading omicron variant.

The university told students, staff and faculty that most classes will be held online Jan. 3 through Jan. 9 as they continue to track the spread of new infections.

“A week of primarily online classes will help minimize disruptions caused by the omicron variant and enable more people to receive a vaccination booster prior to in-person classes,” said a Tuesday message from UW President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost and Executive Vice President Mark Richards.

UW, the letter stated, is “committed” to a return to in-person education on Jan. 10.

The additional week will also allow people to monitor for symptoms and test after traveling and gathering during the holidays.

Clinical instruction and research will continue in person, and facilities like housing and libraries will remain operational and open during work hours. Some lab courses may also have an in-person option during the first week.

UW also encouraged students, staff and faculty members to seek a booster dose as soon as possible and said the university will align its vaccine requirement with any change the state might make regarding boosters.

“We recognize the news in recent days – and even this announcement – may spark both concern and a sense of déjà vu,” the announcement stated.

Several other schools across the country are taking similar measures in the face of the new variant, including DePaul, Harvard and Stanford universities.

UW spent all of the 2020-2021 school year online as the pandemic persisted – flaring up in multiple outbreaks linked to the school’s Greek Row parties. In October 2020, the Interfraternity Council, a student-run body governing frats, suspended one fraternity and put another on probation for flouting rules the IFC had put in place.

Students had just returned to in-person learning for the first time since the pandemic began this fall.

In a news briefing Tuesday morning, state health leaders urged eligible people to seek a booster shot “immediately,” as omicron cases continue to increase statewide.

While it’s still too early to make broad projections about how quickly omicron will spread this winter and where in the state it’ll hit hardest, infections have been on the rise in the past few weeks, according to state epidemiologist Dr. Scott Lindquist.