The University of Toledo is scaling back its requirement that masks be worn at all times indoors on campus in response to new guidance from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Effective immediately, masks will only be required in classrooms and teaching laboratories. Individuals will no longer be required to wear masks in offices, recreational facilities, meeting rooms and other common areas.
These changes apply to everyone, regardless of their vaccination status.
The CDC’s updated recommendation on masking comes as it has changed how it assesses community risk. Rather than looking exclusively at the number of new cases of the virus, the new guidance includes COVID-19 hospital admissions, the share of available hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and the total of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 in each county.
Under these new metrics, Lucas County is classified as medium risk.
The University recognizes some students and employees may choose to continue wearing a mask. Those individual choices should be accepted and respected.
The CDC’s new mask guidelines do not apply to healthcare facilities. Disposable, hospital-grade masks continue to be required for all employees and visitors at The University of Toledo Medical Center and associated clinics, including in non-clinical areas.
The University will continue its weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing of our campus community, regardless of an individual’s vaccination status, to monitor the prevalence of the virus on our campuses. Faculty, staff and students selected for testing each week will be notified via their University email.
The University will continue to monitor and respond to changes in guidance from public health officials and state leaders and will provide timely communication on any changes.
