Students walk in and out of the Mountainlair on a rainy first day of classes Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. (WVU Photo/Jennifer Shephard)
As infection and hospitalization rates due to the delta variant decrease, West Virginia University will lift mask requirements for individuals in indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status, beginning Thursday, Oct. 21; however, the University will continue to require masks in all classrooms, labs or any WVU System facility or building being used as a classroom for the remainder of the semester.
Following CDC guidelines, those who are not vaccinated will be expected to wear a mask in all indoor settings as well as outdoors where large groups are gathered, and masks will continue to be required on the PRT and WVU buses through Jan. 18, 2022, under federal guidelines from the Transportation Security Administration.
Additionally, the University will drop the 5-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,” said Dr. Jeffrey Coben, dean of the School of Public Health and associate vice president for Health Affairs. “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.”
WVU also strongly continues to urge everyone to be vaccinated and for students and employees to verify their vaccine status at http://myhousing.wvu.edu.
The Morgantown campus has reached a high level of vaccination verification rate - 92% for faculty/staff and 80% for students. Positive cases, quarantine and isolation instances remain modest.
As a result, WVU will host Fall FoodFest sponsored by Coca-Cola and refresh on Thursday, Oct. 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.
Vaccine clinic opportunities
In partnership with the Monongalia County Health Department, WVU continues to host weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinics on campus on Mondays from 1-3 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center.
No appointment is necessary. Free parking is available in lot ST-4.
At this time, the clinics only will offer the Pfizer vaccine. Those who are interested in receiving a vaccine may visit a clinic during operating hours.
Vaccines will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. First and second doses as well as booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine will be available at the clinic. Children ages 12 to 17 are eligible to receive a vaccine at the clinic if they are accompanied by a legal guardian.
In addition to the weekly vaccination clinics, WVU Medicine Student Health has the Pfizer vaccine available for WVU students at its clinic in the Health and Education Building. Walk-in appointments are offered during regular business hours (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
The Monongalia County Health Department also is offering free vaccinations by appointment on most days at its facility at 453 Van Voorhis Rd. Anyone who wishes to be vaccinated can call the Monongalia County Health Department at 304-598-5119 to schedule an appointment.
Other vaccination opportunities can be found at vaccines.gov.
The World Health Organization and CDC recently added Sinopharm and Sinovac to the list of approved COVID-19 vaccines. WVU now also considers these vaccines among the list of those that are approved for students and employees.
Testing opportunities
The University is also partnering with the Monongalia County Health Department to hold community testing on campus.
Free COVID-19 testing is available at the Student Recreation Center:
- Mondays – 8 a.m. to noon
- Tuesdays – noon to 4 p.m.
- Wednesdays – noon to 4 p.m.
- Thursdays – 8 a.m. to noon
- Fridays – 8 a.m. to noon
Community testing is open to WVU students, employees and residents of Monongalia County. No appointment is required.
Testing and vaccination information for WVU Tech students and employees are available on the Beckley Return to Campus website.
Similarly, testing information for students and employees at WVU Potomac State College can be found on the WVU Keyser Return to Campus site.
Students, faculty and staff should self-monitor for symptoms and follow quarantine and testing protocols for those who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Stay informed
COVID-19 updates are available through WVU’s public dashboard on the Return to Campus website which features daily testing information updated by 2 p.m., as well as vaccination verification rates, isolation and quarantine data updated each Wednesday by 2 p.m.
Visit the Return to Campus website for more information and the latest COVID-19 updates.
Contact covidvaccine@mail.wvu.edu or returntocampus@mail.wvu.edu with any questions.
-WVU-
ak/10/19/21
CONTACT: April Kaull
Executive Director of Communications
University Relations
304-293-3990;
akaull@mail.wvu.edu
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