University of Arizona is preparing to welcome back students on Wednesday for the start of its spring semester. This comes as comes as the country, and the state of Arizona, is experiencing a surge of COVID-19.
During a Monday media briefing, UA President Robert Robbins said the institution is doing all it can to "safeguard public health and to minimize the impact of this latest wave on our university community, the health care system at large, health care providers on the front line of this pandemic and our larger society."
Last week, the university announced that it is now requiring people wear surgical or higher-grade masks in some indoor campus spaces where face coverings are required.
Cloth masks will no longer meet the campus face coverings requirement, although they may be worn as a top layer over a surgical mask.
Free surgical masks will be available at the entrances of classrooms and campus buildings, and employees can also request them from their building managers, Robbins said.
"Our objective as an institution remains the same: to provide a high-quality educational experience for our students while minimizing the risk posed by the COVID-19 pandemic," he said during the media briefing. "These measures — vaccination, masking, isolation and treatment of positive individuals — all contribute to this goal."
Another reason why Robbins said he's moving forward with plans for in-person classes is because he doesn't want to destabilize people.
“They’ve been yo-yoed back and forth, and as Dr. Carmona said, every time there’s a spike are we going to go back to virtual, online or hybrid approaches, and it just, you know, after a while this gets to be incredibly challenging," Robbins said.
In addition to requiring masks in certain space, the university is encouraging and providing COVID-19 tests and vaccines. Immune compromised people or those with significant health risks can request accommodations.
The university will continue to monitor COVID-19 spread on campus and in the community and will adjust plans if needed, Robbins said.
