Effective immediately and going forward into the fall 2022 semester, masks will be recommended (per CDC guidance), but not required, on all Marshall University campuses, except for the health sciences campus or when otherwise mandatory.
This decision was made after consultation with our environmental health and safety team, as well as the Cabell-Huntington Health Department and other health care partners including our Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. With current levels of vaccination, high levels of population immunity from both vaccination and infections, combined with the availability of pharmacotherapy, the risk of medically significant disease, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 is greatly reduced for most people.
At the same time, the university recognizes that some are at higher risk for serious illness and face challenging decisions navigating a world with COVID-19. As such, the university will continue to utilize the tools and measures available to protect ourselves and others, including aggressively promoting vaccinations among those in our university community. Immunization remains the most effective means of preventing illness, severe illness, post-infection complications, and death. While masks will now be optional, wearing a mask is still an added layer of protection and a choice the university respects. Therefore, employees may request that visitors wear masks and maintain social distance while in their private offices. The University asks that community members cooperate respectfully with these requests. The university continues to maintain a supply of masks, cleaning equipment and other protective equipment.
The health and safety structure we have in place, including testing and a vaccination clinic in the Memorial Student Center, will remain active for the foreseeable future. The university continues to encourage self-reporting of positive tests and is actively continuing contact tracing efforts. Please note that the vaccine registry portal remains operational and has been revised to include a section for boosters.
Please access the university’s coronavirus website for continuing updates and information on COVID-19 as it evolves from a pandemic to the endemic stage.
Finally, it is important to note that this decision could change at any time if conditions warrant it. Thank you for your continued commitment to keeping our university and our surrounding community safe and healthy.