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Penn State ‘Evaluating’ Revised Masking Guidelines, Rules Still In Place

Penn State administrators are currently evaluating new federal guidelines on mask-wearing and could change on-campus rules in the near future, the university said Friday. But in the meantime, most masking orders at the university remain intact.

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published new guidance saying fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear masks or socially distance in most cases. Pennsylvania already adopted the new guidelines, but local municipalities, schools, and businesses can still enforce their own stricter rules.

“Penn State is a complex organization, which is spread across the entire commonwealth. So, while we are reviewing the new federal and state guidelines, we ask that our community continue to follow the defined University guidance to protect the health and safety of our community,” Penn State President Eric Barron said in a release.

At this time, Penn State requires mask-wearing and social distancing for all individuals when they’re inside campus buildings or using public transportation. Outdoors, fully vaccinated individuals don’t need to wear masks or distance, but those who are unvaccinated should continue.

Students are encouraged to upload their completed COVID-19 vaccine cards to University Health Services’ online portal once their shots are taken care of. Barron suggested submitted records could help administrators make an informed decision on on-campus policies moving forward.

Last week, Governor Tom Wolf said most statewide restrictions on gatherings and businesses would be lifted on May 31. Pennsylvania’s masking mandate for unvaccinated individuals will expire once 70% of adults across the state are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

State College’s ordinance requiring mask-wearing in some circumstances is still set to remain in place through the end of July. However, the borough could repeal the order at any point if it sees fit.

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About the Author

Matt DiSanto

Matt proudly served as Onward State’s managing editor for two years until graduating from Penn State in May 2022. Now, he’s off in the real world doing real things. Send him an email ([email protected]) or follow him on Twitter (@mattdisanto_) to stay in touch.

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