The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now providing county specific guidance that relaxes face mask recommendations for communities with low or medium COVID-19 transmission rates. Johnson County’s transmission rate is currently medium, so the CDC recommends the following prevention steps:
- If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
The CDC says you should continue wear a mask if you have symptoms, test positive, or are exposed to someone with COVID-19. Masks continue to be required in health care settings and where required by state or federal guidelines (e.g., passengers on CAMBUS).
NOTE: UI Health Care has separate face covering guidelines due to patient care. For full personal protective equipment requirements for UI Health Care staff, see The Loop. In addition, the Office of the Vice President for Research has posted guidance for the research enterprise on its website.
Campus mitigation efforts continue
Given the current CDC guidance, the university will remove current campus signage regarding face masks. Masks remain welcome and the signage will return if transmission rates rise. The university will continue to take steps to mitigate COVID-19 including:
- Provide KN95 and medical-grade masks in more than 200 health stations across campus.
- Monitor and publish positive COVID-19 tests self-reported by faculty, staff, and students.
- Provide easy access to free COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.
- Provide free COVID-19 test kits at Student Health, the Welcome Center in the Iowa Memorial Union (IMU), Student Health, and the front desk of residence halls.
- Test wastewater in the residence halls to help monitor for an elevated presence of COVID-19 on campus.
- Provide residence hall rooms for students needing to isolate or quarantine.
- Adjust and upgrade HVAC ventilation and filtration where possible.
- Provide physical barriers, such as clear protective screens between students and instructors.
- Employ building attendants to ensure classrooms are stocked with cleaning and sanitizing supplies and that high-frequency touch points receive extra attention.
Be respectful
You should feel comfortable continuing to wear a mask if you choose. Please be respectful of one another and do not pressure a student, visitor, or employee to wear, or not wear, a mask.