MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The University of Memphis is requiring masks indoors in light of new recommendations from the CDC.
The announcements came Wednesday as new guidelines were announced in the wake of the surge in Delta variant cases.
“The CDC has updated COVID-19 guidance and is recommending that all persons, including fully vaccinated individuals, wear masks indoors in areas of ‘substantial or high transmission,'” the university stated on its website. “Accordingly, the University will be requiring that masks be worn by all persons while indoors and in places where maintaining appropriate social distancing is not possible.”
The university is encouraging faculty, staff and students to stay home if they are experiencing symptoms and to isolate after positive test results or contact tracing indicates possible exposure.
Because the University of Memphis is a public university, like the University of Tennessee, they are not able to make vaccinations mandatory. Governor Bill Lee is the only one with the authority to broadly require vaccinations at public colleges and universities.
In an effort to provide access to the vaccine, University of Memphis is teaming up with Baptist Medical Group to offer on-campus shots.
The next on-campus event is scheduled for August 12 from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Rose Theater Lobby. Pre-registtration is preferred, but not required.
Further University of Memphis coronavirus updates are available here.
