With recent news of breakthrough cases in vaccinated individuals and the rise of the COVID delta variant, the possibility of increasing restrictions for the fall semester over time. However, today the University of Virginia updated its community on COVID Protocol.
The biggest news update surrounded the mask policy for the upcoming semester. Regardless of vaccination status, students and staff members will be required to wear masks inside of University-owned spaces. This policy will allow the university to give students the complete academic and residential experience that is essential to college life.
However, students and faculty will not, as of today’s announcement, be required to wear a mask outdoors. During the upcoming weeks, UVA will monitor the number of cases and hospitalizations to determine any modifications or removal of the mask policy by September 6th.
Thanks to the high vaccination rates of students and university employees, pre-pandemic events such as football games and the 2021 Wahoo Welcome are still expected to operate at full capacity, even given the state of the delta variant. This is great news for a University community that has been longing for a return to many of their favorite in-person traditions.
Although the mask policy delays a complete return to the pre-pandemic college experience, students will still be able to step outside of their apartments and attend their classes and extra-curricular events in-person.
