Effective immediately, face coverings are encouraged but no longer required in all indoor public spaces.
This University masking policy change reflects several indicators reviewed by the COVID-19 Response Team every week. We’ve seen both the positivity rates and the number of positive cases decline on campus and for Buchanan county. Additionally, we’ve seen the same decreasing trend in the local hospitalization rates.
Masks are recommended for those who are unvaccinated and/or have underlying health concerns. Learn more about CDC mask recommendations here.
The University continues to encourage COVID-19 vaccination and will host another vaccine clinic with Heart to Heart International on Thursday, February 24.
COVID-19 Testing
Testing remains a very important tool in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. Visit COVIDtests.gov to order your tests.
- Visit our COVID-19 webpage for local testing opportunities.
Stay home if you are ill
- If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home.
- Faculty and staff should use sick leave or vacation hours. If you do not have sufficient leave to support your paid absence from work, you may be eligible to request COVID-19 Pandemic Leave.
- Students should submit a Disrupted Student Assistance Notification form.
We wanted to communicate this decision as quickly as possible, and we appreciate your patience as we are in the process of updating our webpage and signs around campus to reflect this change.
The COVID-19 Response Team will continue to meet weekly to review data and adjust mitigation strategies, including the campus face covering policy, as warranted. The team reviews campus and community vaccination rates, positivity rates, and local hospitalization rates, among other data points, and is continually guided by the best available science-based evidence and expert recommendations in order to make informed decisions about campus activities.
Additional information can be found under our campus COVID-19 guidelines.
Thank you for all you’re doing to help make our campus a safe place to be!
Best,
Elizabeth
Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, President
Missouri Western State University