Mask Policies Continue to Change
Written by admin on March 3, 2022
Photo courtesy of from Illinois State University
NORMAL, Ill.—Mask policies continue to change in a span of two weeks.
JB Pritzker announced that Illinois will be lifting its mask mandate February 28th due to statewide COVID-19 hospitalization rates declining faster than any other point in the pandemic. Decisions for the state have led local institutions to make changes.
Illinois State University announced on Feburary 21st that it will be lifting the mask mandate in certain areas on campus. Eric Jome Director of Media Relations at ISU says that the university will not be requiring masks unless students are in the classroom, labs, or any campus health facility.
“But certainly, like anything else throughout this entire pandemic we continue to watch case numbers both here on campus and in the local community very closely. If things start to go in a different direction—we may have to modify our requirements and things on campus,” said Jome.
Many students have questions about where specifically they are not required to wear masks. Jome explains the places that students will not have to wear masks.
“They would not be required in Bone you know campus recreation—the student fitness center and places like that,” said Jome. “We realize that a lot of people may still want to be wearing masks and that’s completely up to them in the spaces where it’s not required.”
March 2nd Illinois State announced that masks are recommended and not required in all spaces except clinical settings, including Student Health Services, Student Counseling Services and COVID-19 testing sites. This mandate will be in effect on March 21st.
Other areas include University events when required by contract with speakers, performers, and public transportation including Connect Transit buses and in other federally mandated sites.
The university is asking for people to wear a face covering in a private office or residence hall room upon the occupant’s request.
