MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Citing falling infection and hospitalization rates, West Virginia University officials say mask requirements will be lifted for individuals in all indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status starting Thursday.
Staff and students will be required to wear masks in all classrooms, labs or any WVU System facility or building being used as a classroom through the end of the semester.
According to a WVU news release, those who are not vaccinated will be expected to wear a mask in all indoor settings as well as outdoors. Masks will still be mandatory on all public transportation, including the PRT through Jan. 18, 2022.
Additionally, WVU will drop its five-day quarantine requirement following out-of-state travel for all faculty, staff and students.
“Infection rates and hospitalization rates are beginning to decline across the state and within our community which are key data in our decision to ease some of our current campus protocols,” Dr. Jeffrey Coben, dean of the School of Public Health and associate vice president for Health Affairs said in Tuesday’s statement. “I urge our students and employees to remain vigilant, and we continue to encourage those on campus to wear a mask when indoors, regardless of vaccination status, especially in areas where physical distancing is not possible.”
On the Morgantown campus, 92 percent of faculty and 80 percent of students have verified their vaccination status. Infections on campus, quarantine and isolation numbers remain low.
As a result, WVU will host Fall FoodFest sponsored by Coca-Cola and refresh on Thursday, October 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. near the Student Rec Center fields. Students can register starting Wednesday, Oct. 20 at refresh.wvu.edu and claim their free meal token. Free meals are for current students only.
WVU’s decision comes a day after faculty senate groups from WVU and Marshall approved a joint, non-binding resolution calling for a vaccine mandate.
Both faculty groups had previously passed separate non-binding vaccine mandate resolutions earlier this year.