BLACKSBURG, Va. – On Friday, Virginia Tech announced that face masks will soon be required for everyone when indoors in designated public areas, regardless of vaccination status.
The mask mandate requires that both instructors and students wear face masks in all classrooms and laboratories at the start of the fall semester on Aug. 23. The university said it will reevaluate this interim requirement in September after examining both campus and regional data related to the overall status of public health.
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Additionally, starting Aug. 10, all faculty, staff, students and visitors at all Virginia Tech-owned or leased facilities in communities with substantial or high community transmission will be required to wear a mask in indoor public spaces which include:
- Lobbies
- Foyers
- Atriums
- Hallways
- Elevators accessible by the general public
- Auditoriums
- Arenas
- Theaters
- Museums
- Concert halls
- Other areas used for a performance or an exhibit
- Dining facilities (when individuals are not eating or drinking)
At this time, masks are not required in outdoor spaces.
“Virginia Tech has achieved a high level of vaccine adoption, and we expect that progress to strengthen in the days ahead,” said Mike Mulhare, assistant vice president for emergency management. “At the same time, it would irresponsible to ignore the latest data, science, and public health guidance about the delta variant and the increasing risk it poses to the community around us. By requiring face coverings in public indoor spaces, we add an additional layer of protection to help us deliver a consistently full and safe experience as we start the fall.”