Reversing course, KU to require mask use indoors regardless of vaccination status
All students and staff at the University of Kansas must wear masks indoors on campus starting Monday.
Chancellor Douglas Girod announced the new policy in a message Friday morning, citing Centers for Disease Control guidance and the rapid spread of the delta variant of COVID-19.
“The variant has continued to spread nationally and is now putting significant strain on healthcare systems throughout Kansas and neighboring states,” Girod wrote.
“This mask mandate is an important and hopefully short-lived step that will enable us to prioritize health and safety while maintaining our commitment to a full on-campus experience for students this fall.”
Friday’s announcement is a reversal of course after the university said last week it would encourage but not require mask use indoors.
The decision follows similar requirements from other Kansas Board of Regents colleges and the University of Missouri system.
Last week, Kansas State University and all four University of Missouri campuses announced plans to require masks. Wichita State and Pittsburg State added the requirement Tuesday. Washburn University and Emporia State announced mask mandates Friday.
The mandate will go into effect two weeks before the start of the fall semester at KU on August 23. University officials have planned for a return to nearly normal campus life.
Though a provision in the state’s budget prevents colleges from requiring students and staff be vaccinated, KU is urging students to vaccinate before they return to campus and upload their vaccination information to an online portal.
Students living in campus housing will be required to either be vaccinated or obtain a COVID-19 test before moving in.
Douglas County, where KU’s main campus is located, has not reinstated it’s mask requirement after letting it expire in May. In a message last week, county health officials urged residents to return to mask use.
Thursday night Wyandotte County, home to the university’s Kansas City medical school campus, approved a new mask mandate for all residents over the age of 5.
COVID-19 cases in Kansas have risen steadily since late June. According to the New York Times, the state is recording an average of 910 new COVID-19 cases daily, the highest daily increase since February.
The CDC has is advising indoor mask use regardless of vaccination rate in areas with high or substantial transmission of COVID-19.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 10:28 AM with the headline "Reversing course, KU to require mask use indoors regardless of vaccination status."
