West Virginia University extends indoor mask requirements

MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia University will extend requirements for all individuals regardless of vaccination status to wear a mask indoors in all WVU System buildings and facilities through Oct. 20 when public health conditions will be re-evaluated.

The announcement is an extension of requirements set in September that were going to be re-evaluated in early October.

Positive cases and quarantine instances involving WVU employees and students remain low when compared with COVID-19 cases across West Virginia, including a continued high rate of hospitalizations throughout the state. Nearly 75 percent of employees and almost 79 percent of students on the Morgantown campus have verified they are fully vaccinated, rates continuing to increase.

"We want to continue to be a good community partner to help further prevent the spread of the delta variant, and keeping these indoor mask requirements in place is the right decision given we have not yet seen a substantial decrease in hospitalization rates," said Dr. Jeffrey Coben, dean of the School of Public Health and associate vice president for Health Affairs. "This move will also allow for the adequate assessment of the COVID-19 status on our campuses following the University's Fall Break (Thursday and Friday)."

Everyone entering campus buildings and facilities, including any classroom, lab or venue being used as a classroom, must properly wear a mask above the nose and keep it on while inside. Masks are not required indoors in personal office spaces, in personal vehicles, when eating or drinking or while engaging in fitness activities.

For individuals who are fully vaccinated, masks also are not required in meetings of 10 or fewer people or on residence hall floors and rooms.

Masks continue to be required on the PRT and WVU buses through Jan. 18 under federal guidelines from the Transportation Security Administration.

Employees and students who are not following health protocols and requirements may receive disciplinary action through Student Conduct or Talent & Culture.