Ohio University announced Thursday that it is updating its maskings policies to coincide with the requirements set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, which now means masks are optional on its Athens campus.
The announcement follows OU’s shift to more lenient mask policies earlier this month.
The CDC designated Community Levels for COVID-19 are based on hospitalization rates, local health system strain and case rates.
The new university policies include optional masking if the county is in the “low” range for community spread, mandatory masking in educational spaces if the county is in the “medium” range and mandatory masking in all indoor public spaces if the county is in the “high” range, according to a university-wide announcement.
Carly Leatherwood, a university spokesperson, said masking policies are subject to change should Athens’ infection rate increase. Some spaces may still require masks such as Campus care, COVID-19 testing sites and public transportation.
