An email sent out Wednesday, February 23, by Executive Vice President of Campus Transformation, Donald Brezinski states that the mask mandate and booster requirement are to be lifted beginning Thursday, February 24.
Unvaccinated individuals will still be required to wear masks in public spaces. Faculty and staff can still require the use of masks in classrooms and workspaces.
Vaccinated individuals that have been exposed to a positive case will not be required to quarantine but will be recommended to monitor for symptoms and wear a mask for ten days after exposure.
In addition, the booster shot will no longer be required, but “strongly encouraged,” according to the email. Individuals that have already received their boosters are encouraged to upload proof of vaccination to CoVerified.
“Our main priority, as always, is the overall health, safety, and wellbeing of our students and employees; we also understand that an organization mandating health decisions should not be taken lightly and should be reserved for the most severe situations that threaten our community,” said Brezinski in the email.
There will also be mandatory testing during the week of March 14, following spring break. The surveillance testing program will continue, where 25% of the student population will be randomly selected to get tested. Testing can be done in the Academic Center (ACC) in room 201 from 9am to 3pm, Monday through Thursday. Students that have tested positive within the last 90 days will be exempt from participating in the SNHU surveillance testing program.
Student residents will also be allowed to have up to two guests per resident per room beginning February 24. However, external guests will remain restricted from residence halls.
“With cases rapidly declining locally and nationally, there is less imminent threat to the SNHU community. We will continue to monitor the science, the emergence of variants, and ongoing CDC studies that may indicate the need for an additional vaccination,” said Brezinski in the email.
Policies are subject to change due to the pandemic’s evolving trends. Those looking to receive their vaccine can visit vaccines.nh.gov to find nearby clinics. Additionally, students can email covid19@snhu.edu with any questions or concerns.
