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SMWC lifts mask requirement for vaccinated employees and students following new CDC guidance

News | 05.18.2021

Following new guidance announced by the Centers for Disease Control, the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College COVID-19 Taskforce is ending the requirement for masks to be worn on campus for employees and students who are fully vaccinated effective immediately. 

Those who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 must continue wearing masks. 

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According to the CDC, in general, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson. 

Janet Clark, Ph.D., vice president for academic and student affairs and chair of the COVID-19 taskforce, praised students, faculty and staff efforts. “I want to thank everyone for doing their part this semester in helping to keep our campus healthy by wearing masks and getting vaccinated. The levels of COVID-19 infections have remained near zero for the past two months. With the departure of students, the density of individuals on campus is much lower.”

CDC guidance states that fully vaccinated people can, in most cases, resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state and local regulations. Other College protocols lifted at this time include removing the designated access in and out of buildings. Face-to-face meetings and other gatherings or activities may now take place of any size. The taskforce still recommends classrooms or meetings to have seating three feet apart.

The taskforce also announced the suspension of the daily reporting of health status through #CampusClear for the summer months.  

Hand sanitizer stations are still operating, and healthy behaviors are still encouraged including frequent hand washing and cleaning of areas.  The COVID-19 Taskforce will continue to meet throughout the summer and monitor the situation on campus, locally and statewide.