Dear Patriot,
We are so excited to welcome everyone back to Mason this fall. Everyone in our community deserves a safe place to live, learn, and thrive. The Mason Nation has done an incredible job at keeping ahead of COVID-19, and we are enhancing our efforts this fall by requiring students, faculty and staff to participate in ongoing COVID-19 testing.
Please pay close attention to your email, as it is the official means by which you will be informed of your individual testing requirements. Regular testing allows us to identify and isolate COVID cases so that we can prevent potentially deadly outbreaks. Those who fail to participate in mandatory testing could face disciplinary action.
Students living on campus:
- All residential students will be tested each week during the first three weeks of the semester.
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- If you are vaccinated against COVID, you will be required to test every week for the first three weeks of the semester. Subsequently we anticipate being able to scale testing for this group back to once every two weeks — that’s only two tests every month after the first 3 weeks of the semester.
- If you are not vaccinated against COVID and have an approved exemption, you will be required to test twice a week for the duration of the semester.
Students living off-campus:
- If you are vaccinated against COVID, you may be chosen randomly to test periodically throughout the semester.
- Those not vaccinated against COVID with an approved exemption are required to test one time per week for the duration of the semester.
Students with high contact:
If you engage in roles, activities or classes that put you in frequent, close contact with other individuals (such as athletes and student organizations that host large in-person events) you may be required to take a COVID-19 test more frequently. Again, please pay close attention to your email, as it is the official means by which you will be informed of your individual testing requirements.
Please be mindful that not all members of our community can receive the vaccine at this time, due to approved medical or religious exemptions. Please continue to show each other empathy and respect.
Mason Nation knows how to fight COVID:
- get the COVID-19 vaccine
- participate in COVID testing
- complete the Mason COVID Health Check daily, if you are registered for in-person or hybrid classes
- adhere to Mason’s new masking requirements
- take the online COVID safety training
Later this week, you’ll receive more detailed information from Safety, Emergency, & Enterprise Risk Management regarding the mandatory, ongoing COVID tests. We’re counting on you to do your part by testing when notified to do so.
To learn more about Mason’s COVID Safety Plan, visit the Safe Return to Campus website at https://www2.gmu.edu/safe-return-campus.
Sincerely,
Rose Pascarell
Vice President, University Life
Julie Zobel, PhD, Associate Vice President
Safety, Emergency, & Enterprise Risk Management