Two students wear masks as they walk across the oval with Thompson Library in the background. Credit: Christian Harsa | Special Projects Director
Ohio State is one of six Big Ten universities that has yet to make changes to its mask requirement in response to a decline in COVID-19 cases.
Five Big Ten universities have lifted their mask mandates and three have otherwise modified their masking policies recently. Columbus Public Health recommends the city lift its mask mandate Monday in response to updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, according to a press release.
“The pandemic is not over, but the situation has changed, and we are in a new phase,” Columbus Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts said in the release. “It is time to turn our efforts to minimizing the impact COVID-19 has on our health, our healthcare systems and our community, while focusing our efforts on protecting those who are most at risk of severe illness.”
Since the beginning of the fall semester, Ohio State has required masks indoors. Recently, the university changed its masking guidelines for exercising indoors — requiring masks at recreational facilities unless exercising strenuously.
University spokesperson Ben Johnson said the university always considers changes to COVID-19 measures based on public health recommendations and guidance.
“We are in close contact with local officials, and we will have more to share in the coming days,” Johnson said.
According to the university’s COVID-19 dashboard, less than 1 percent of 6,699 tests administered in the last week were positive. Over 93 percent of university community members have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
As of Wednesday, 1,171 Ohioans tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours — a drop from the three-week average of 1,657 cases per day, according to the Ohio Department of Health’s COVID-19 dashboard. The state of Ohio has a population of about 11.69 million.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison will no longer require masks indoors effective March 12. Similarly, Indiana University will instate a mask optional policy Friday. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Maryland lifted their mask mandates with a few exceptions. The University of Iowa changed its policy at the start of the semester to strongly encourage, but not require, masks.
Northwestern University and Purdue University changed their policies to only require masks in classrooms, campus shuttles, some research labs and health care areas. The University of Illinois requires masks for some events and in classrooms, health care facilities, areas governed by the federal mandate and some research labs.
Masks are still required indoors at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Rutgers University, Penn State University and the University of Minnesota.
