Wardenburg Health Center on main campus CU Boulder. (Photo courtesy of CU Boulder)
The University of Colorado Boulder will drop its mask mandates for students, faculty and staff at 6 a.m. on March 7.
In an email to students on Monday morning, Provost Russell Moore and Chief Operating Officer Patrick O’Rourke announced the decision, citing a rapid decline in transmission, high levels of vaccinations across campus and the CDC’s updated mask guidance classifying Boulder County as an area where masks are no longer required.
The Provost and COO said the recent trends were “encouraging,” but still urged caution as the change goes into effect.
“While we go mask-optional, we know we cannot let our guard down completely,” the email said. “As a campus, our current COVID-19 vaccine booster reporting requirement remains in place. We continue to provide both testing and vaccines on campus, as well as contact tracing and case investigation.”
Moore and O’Rourke also acknowledged the possibility of new variants and future COVID-19 surges, saying they will continue to work with campus, local, and state officials “to ensure we are making the decisions that best protect our community.”
In line with the announcement from the university, CU’s Parking and Transportation Department will remove mask requirements on all Buff Buses beginning March 7. Masks will still be required at the Wardenburg Health Center.
The move comes after Boulder County’s mask mandate ended on Feb. 18. At the time, the university said it would keep its mandate in place.
“Our campus is maintaining our mask requirement for the time being to ensure we safeguard the in-person experience by not letting our guard down too soon,” the university’s public health office said at the time.
Contact CU Independent Breaking News Editor William Oster at william.oster@colorado.edu.
