WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., March 17, 2022 — West Liberty University will welcome spring with a relaxation of the COVID-19 protocol calling for face masks inside all buildings.
“Our COVID-19 Task Force presented this recommendation to the cabinet based on the fact that it is a reasonable and safe decision to drop the mask requirement due to current CDC and state of West Virginia guidelines. Of course, those who wish to continue to wear a mask for safety (like myself) are welcome to do so,” said Dr. W. Franklin Evans, WLU president.
WLU will go mask optional beginning Monday, March 21. Masks will no longer be required to be worn indoors on WLU’s main campus and at its Highlands location. However, individuals are welcome to continue to wear masks if they choose to do so.
Professors too may request that masks are worn as a safety precaution in classrooms as they deem fit. Students enrolled in the Health Sciences, such as dental hygiene, laboratory science, nursing, physician assistant studies and WLU’s speech and behavioral health clinics must follow the mask rule of each Health Science program.
Students who have health conditions which cause them to be immunocompromised may receive an N95 mask in Student Health Services, or in the case of employees, in the Business Office. Both of these offices are located in Shaw Hall.
WLU’s decision to forego masks for its general population is supported by the nationally reported slowdown of infection and hospitalizations from COVID-19 and the growing rate of vaccination and boosters. Vaccinations remain the best line of defense against COVID, according to the CDC.
“We are most grateful to everyone who has assisted us in keeping our campus safe and adhering to safety precautions during the pandemic,” Evans added.
Additionally, WLU adjusted its protocol for quarantine and isolation this week in compliance with CDC’s best practices. To view the complete protocol document, please visit westliberty.edu/coronavirus.
WLU will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases and make adjustments to its safety procedures as needed. For questions regarding WLU’s response to the pandemic, please email covid19@westliberty.edu.
For information on the state of West Virginia’s dashboard of cases, information on free testing and other public information, click on West Virginia’s DHHR website, linked here.