Students will be required to wear N95 masks instead of cloth or surgical masks.
The University of Maryland has upped the requirements for students returning to class from the winter holidays. An email sent to enrolled students by the President of the University Darryll J. Pines said students will need to have proof of a negative COVID test and wear a KN95 or N95 mask in school buildings. The new rules will only apply from January 3-21, 2022, but could be extended when the formal spring semester begins on January 24, 2022.
The new requirements come as the world and the nation battle the latest mutation of the coronavirus, omicron. Most recent testing data revealed the positivity rate had increased to 15.85% from 12.15% just a few days prior to the email announcement. Testing centers around the state have been flooded with patients and finding at-home rapid tests has been difficult.
Most public school systems are trying to do whatever they can to remain open. In D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has extended the Christmas vacation to January 5, to allow families to get tested before returning to school. Prince George’s County moved to virtual learning on December 20 and won’t return to in-person learning until January 18, 2022, for middle school and high schools students, and January 31 for elementary students.
We are enacting the following measures for winter term, effective Jan. 3-21, 2022: https://t.co/bqYqKXtcH3
— Univ. of Maryland (@UofMaryland) December 22, 2021
These are subject to change, depending on evolving COVID conditions. Decisions about potential additional measures for the spring semester will be made in early Jan. 2022.
The county with the highest number of positive cases per school ahead of the Christmas break was Howard, with four high schools recording more than 100 cases each. Many schools have suspended extracurricular sports and activities in an effort to keep the case numbers down.
The University of Maryland requires all students and staff to be vaccinated and is asking everyone who attends school or works on campus to get their booster shot. Some classes at the university may be held online in the interim and some staff will be allowed to work remotely.
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