Yale University will reimpose its mask mandate following the recent surge of COVID-19 infections.
The Ivy League university in New Haven reverted to the policy after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified seven Connecticut counties as new COVID-19 hotspots.
The university said in a press release that masks must be worn regardless of vaccination status effective today. However, exceptions will be allowed for those working alone in segregated areas.
Students Weigh In
Yale junior Caroline White commended her school for reinstituting the policy, describing it as a step in the right direction. She also expressed her hope that other colleges reverse their “no-mask” policies for the safety of students.
“I think that Yale is kind of a paragon, oftentimes, in the community and it makes a lot of sense for them to show the way, and show that masks are a requirement for this new era, given the rising tides in vaccine hesitancy,” White told Eyewitness News.
Meanwhile, sophomore Matthew Pollack also spoke to Eyewitness News, saying that the new mandate is frustrating considering that there is already a vaccine requirement for students.
“I understand that. At the same time, it’s a shame, because my entire time here has been with masks and with a lot of restrictions, so it’s a shame to not see that going away,” he remarked.
Other Schools Reinstitute Mask Policies Amid Delta Threat
Cornell University is also taking measures to protect its students and employees when in-person classes recommence this fall. In a statement, the Ivy League school said it would comply with recent health advisories requiring individuals to wear face masks inside campus buildings or facilities.
The university also reminded its students and personnel to get vaccinated since it remains the “most important step you can take to protect yourself and others” from COVID-19.
Marquette University in Wisconsin has also announced that regardless of whether students and personnel have been vaccinated, wearing masks indoors will be required.
The University of South Carolina (USC) has also reinstituted its mask mandate, citing new federal and state guidelines that even the vaccinated should wear masks indoors as a precaution against the highly contagious Delta variant.
However, the school said it would not require face masks outdoors, in private residence halls and offices, or for those eating inside campus dining facilities. “I’m disappointed that these measures are necessary, as we hoped for different circumstances when we came back together,” USC interim President Harris Pastides wrote to students.