As infection and hospitalization rates from COVID-19 decrease, West Virginia University will lift mask requirements for individuals in indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status, effective immediately. However, the University will continue to require masks in all classrooms, labs or any WVU System facility or building being used as a classroom.
Masks also will continue to be required on the PRT and WVU buses under federal guidelines from the Transportation Security Administration.
Masks will continue to be required for all persons in all indoor locations of the Health Sciences Campuses. Additionally, WVU employees and students involved in patient care, including residents, fellows and students, may be required to follow separate WVU Health System or other clinical provider’s policies, including those related to COVID-19, such as masks, PPE and vaccinations.
Masks will also continue to be required for those conducting and participating in face-to-face human subject research activities.
“At the start of this semester, given what we knew about the emerging omicron variant, we felt it was crucial to implement several measures to limit the potential spread of COVID-19, including a universal mask requirement,” said Dr. Jeffrey Coben, dean of the School of Public Health and associate vice president for Health Affairs. “With numerous key data sources now indicating that cases are significantly declining across the state and within our community, we feel comfortable relaxing the mask requirements outside classrooms, labs and clinical areas. We will continue to monitor the data as we proceed through the spring semester and will make changes accordingly. As always, we encourage our students and employees to continue to wear a mask if preferred, regardless of vaccination status, especially in areas where physical distancing is not possible, and to get fully vaccinated and boosted as soon as you are eligible to receive a booster.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend for those who are not vaccinated or those with weakened immune systems to wear a mask in all indoor settings as well as outdoors where large groups are gathered. For maximum protection, the CDC continues to recommend that individuals wear the most protective mask that fits well and that will be worn consistently.
COVID-19 vaccination opportunities
COVID-19 vaccine clinics will take place at the WVU Student Recreation Center each Wednesday for the remainder of February. The University and Monongalia County Health Department will host Pfizer clinics from 9-11 a.m. and Moderna clinics from 1-3 p.m. on Feb. 16 and 23.
All upcoming vaccination clinics will be posted at book.novelhealth.ai/MCHDC.
COVID-19 testing schedule revised
Due to current decreased demand for COVID-19 testing, WVU and MCHD have reduced the community testing schedule at the Student Rec Center to three days a week.
The testing schedule for the remainder of February will be:
- Mondays (7 a.m. to noon) – Feb. 28
- Tuesdays (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) – Feb. 22
- Thursdays (8 a.m. to noon) – Feb. 17 and 24
No appointment or pre-registration is required for the testing clinics. Free parking is available in Area 49. Additionally, the federal government has a website (covidtests.gov) for people to sign up for a maximum of four free COVID-19 tests, which will be shipped directly to the individual’s household.
Stay informed
The University’s public dashboard updates testing and isolation data every Wednesday by 2 p.m. Vaccination verification rate updates are also available biweekly Wednesdays at 2 p.m. for the Morgantown, Beckley and Keyser campuses.
Visit the Return to Campus website for the latest COVID-19 updates. New information also will continue to be shared in MOUNTAINEER E-News for employees and Unews for students.
Questions related to COVID-19 and WVU’s health and safety protocols can be sent via email to returntocampus@mail.wvu.edu.
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ts/02/16/22
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