Penn State Extends Mask Mandate Into Spring Semester
Penn State students and faculty are reacting to the major announcements made by the University earlier this week regarding a continuation of the mask mandate into the spring semester.
When it comes to the safety of students, faculty, residents and visitors in the state college area, the university believes that it is most important to continue to wear masks into the spring semester.
The guidelines will be the same as the fall semester, which included the wearing of masks during all classes, as well as wearing them in any residence halls or commons areas.
The announcement comes in the wake of concerns over the new variant of Covid-19, titled Omicron.
The variant is potentially vaccine resistant, which could create a spike in cases throughout the world.
Along with the university, it is believed that a potential mask mandate throughout the state college town will continue as well. In the fall during football season, the downtown area installed a mask mandate to contain a potential spread and it is expected to continue in the spring.
With the first Omicron case being found in the state of PA earlier this week, the university believes that by instilling the mask mandate, they can protect people from the dangers of a potential spread.
More updates on this matter will be forthcoming, but more safety precautions will almost definitely be announced in the coming weeks leading up to the start of the spring semester.
Noah Georgulis is a junior majoring in both Journalism and Communications. To contact him, email ncg5148@psu.edu.
