Mask Mandate Continues at UM for Spring Semester

Students will return to the University of Mississippi next week in person and wearing masks.

On Monday morning, Chancellor Glenn Boyce emailed students and staff to update them on the university’s response to COVID-19 for the upcoming spring semester that begins on Jan. 18.

“We find ourselves facing another period of uncertainty, but I am confident that we will once again persevere and keep our students on track towards earning their degrees while continuing to move the university forward,” he wrote in the email.

Boyce said with the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, the university anticipates classes and other services on campus will face disruptions.

To minimize disruptions, the university is taking the following precautions:

• The mask requirement for public indoor spaces remains in effect
• Meetings should be held virtually when possible
• If a student or employee tests positive for COVID-19, feel sick or experience symptoms, they should stay home to avoid contact with others and do not attend classes, work, meetings or events. Notify supervisors or instructors.

“As we begin the spring semester, we must be more vigilant because wearing a mask is a simple and important layer of protection to limit the spread of the virus,” Boyce said. “Ultimately, vaccination remains the best and most widely available protection against severe illness. We strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boosted.”

For more information on current protocols visit the university’s website on COVID-19 information and check with the CDC guidelines for information on isolation and quarantine guidance.

“We know there is a lot of Covid fatigue out there, but our best path forward is to get vaccinated, follow the protocols and limit the spread,” Boyce said. “We may not want to wear masks, but doing so helps to minimize the impact of the virus.”