As more is learned about the spread of coronavirus and the amount of activity in campus buildings midway through fall semester, The University of Toledo is updating its guidance on face coverings required in workspaces.
UToledo continues to follow an order from the Ohio Department of Health that requires all employees to wear face coverings while at work. The University’s Rocket Prevention Principles have noted that face coverings are required while on campus, except while alone in an enclosed space, eating or outside practicing social distancing.
The University is updating its face covering guidance with a definition of an enclosed space — the space must have floor-to-ceiling walls and a closed door. Using this updated definition, cubicles, even those with doors, are not considered an enclosed space, and as such, employees and students working in these environments will need to wear a face covering at all times.
The scientific community continues to advance research regarding the transmission of the coronavirus. At this time, the guidance remains that COVID-19 primarily spreads through respiratory droplets that pass when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. Some studies suggest the virus can be airborne spread through aerosols in the air, which further underscores the importance of face coverings in shared spaces.
