The Indiana University of Pennsylvania will enforce indoor masking on weekends for those attending classes at the IUP’s main campuses in Indiana and White Township, as well as facilities rented by the university in Northpoint, Armstrong County. Notified as highly recommended.
According to a letter sent to students, faculty and staff late Friday, “We have received word that Armstrong and Indiana counties have raised their COVID-19 community level to medium to high. It’s a measure of the disease’s impact on the healthcare system.”
This has led the university to “strongly recommend” wearing a mask indoors at the IUP building in Indiana/White Township or Northpoint, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
The university said it was highly recommended but not required.
Still, “we recommend it as a precautionary measure to limit the spread of the virus, even if the number of IUP students who test positive for COVID has decreased. Recent tests have shown elevated COVID levels in the wastewater of a community in Indiana.” We’ve been shown that we’re doing this, so we need to work diligently to keep each other safe.”
The university further advised that “free masks are available at all buildings and facilities.”
Elsewhere, according to its IUP advisory, “Jefferson County, home to the IUP Punkstuney Campus, remains designated below the COVID-19 community level. One Allegheny County remains moderately designated at the COVID-19 community level.”
The university states that officials and suspicious persons “must wear masks to protect themselves and others. There also remains an expectation to understand, support and comply with masking requests in
In addition, the university recommends that students, faculty and staff who may have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 follow CDC instructions.
Complimentary tests are available to students at IUP Health Services (in a suite at Maple East on the main campus) Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
“Tests are available by appointment or on a walk-in basis,” the university advised. “Also, if you haven’t been vaccinated yet, you can get a free COVID vaccine at the IUP Health Service. I plan to be.”
https://www.indianagazette.com/news/local/iup-says-masks-highly-recommended-in-its-buildings/article_b5b0657a-435b-5c98-bab1-436c5776c9b5.html The IUP says masks are “strongly recommended” inside the building.local news
