Indiana University sent an e-mail Wednesday saying masks will be required indoors this fall despite vaccination status.
Here is the e-mail that was distributed Wednesday:
“August—the time when we come together again—is finally here. First, our staff and faculty are coming back soon to be followed by students at all our campuses. We have cause to celebrate at Indiana University as we have already achieved a vaccination rate approaching 85% of all constituents, which provides a strong defense against current and emerging COVID-19 strains. We are coming back in full force with all the normal activities on a college campus.
As we navigate this return to full campus activities, we will need to be nimble to adjust so that everything will remain at full operation. Last week, the CDC and some local officials recommended wearing masks when indoors regardless of vaccine status. Because of this, we are instructing that all IU students, faculty, staff and visitors mask up indoors beginning August 5. This applies to all campuses. We have consistently followed CDC and IDOH guidance throughout the pandemic, and our campuses remain among the safest places to be.
We stress that wearing masks indoors is the only thing that is changing, though. And, this mask guideline pertains to indoors only–the weather is beautiful so let’s do everything we can outside. Get out to a football game, attend Regatta, meet up with your friends for an outdoor study session, or head to the basketball courts. Inside, wearing masks will help ensure we can KEEP doing all the normal things on our campuses.
This is a time-limited recommendation; we will continue to monitor local conditions and will make changes to individual campuses based on local data.
More information on IU’s COVID-19 policies can be found at iu.edu/covid.
Fall at IU; back together again.”
