Campus restrictions ease as UD reaches vaccine goal

UD released changes to their COVID-19 safety protocols Friday morning. Photo of the UD student neighborhood courtesy of Flyer News.

Zoë Hill | News Editor

Campus life is set to return to normal this fall after the University of Dayton community reached its vaccination goal. 

The university announced Friday morning that 70 percent of campus has reported getting vaccinated. The message came with the long-awaited fall plans that eased nearly all of the COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place for the last year. 

Masks will not be required around campus, except in special circumstances like health facilities, according to the announcement. Face coverings are still encouraged for immunocompromised and unvaccinated students and faculty. UD asked that students support individuals who choose to still wear masks this fall. 

“We also ask you to be inclusive and respectful of your colleagues and classmates who choose to continue certain practices, such as continuing to wear face coverings, maintaining physical distance or avoiding handshakes or hugs,” UD’s Path Forward Team said in the announcement.

https://twitter.com/univofdayton/status/1413497760725274626?s=20http://

Classrooms and dining halls will return to full capacity, allowing the campus to appear very close to pre-pandemic life. Social distancing will no longer be necessary on campus, according to the announcement. Restrictions on meetings and events have also been eliminated, allowing clubs and sports teams to resume full schedules. Travel regulations have yet to be completely described by UD, but the announcement did reveal that travel will be allowed. 

“Group travel for everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, is now possible with certain restrictions and additional risk review,” the University said. 

Guests will also be allowed to visit students in their dorms, apartments and houses, according to UD. 

The university asked the campus community to report symptoms and use the contract tracing form if students think they might have contracted or been in contact with an individual who has COVID-19.

Two-thirds of the student body have reported their vaccination records, while 82 percent of faculty and staff have been vaccinated, UD’s COVID-19 dashboard shows.

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