JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida on Thursday announced that all faculty, staff and students must wear a face mask on campus, both inside and outside, at all times unless the person is alone in a room.
The use of cloth face coverings is recommended by health professionals to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and help people who have the virus -- even those who don’t know it yet -- from transmitting it to others.
“It is our shared responsibility to do everything we can to protect our fellow Ospreys, and we appreciate all of your support to protect our community,” UNF wrote in an email to the university community.
There are other considerations for reopening classes that have been operating remotely since spring break.
• The University mixing online and on campus classes, prioritizing experiential courses for face-to-face learning
• Setting capacity limits for all classrooms
• On campus housing will be limited to 2 people per room
• Overall occupancy will be reduced by 11 % compared to last fall
•Creating a remote contingency plan in case of a second wave
It’s unclear how this will impact sporting events, although athletic venues are covered under the health and safety mandate that includes the mask requirement. The school will also attempt to make an initial supply of masks available for those who do not have one and the bookstore and convenience stores will have face masks available for purchase.
UNF directed people to the Centers for Disease Control’s website for information about the importance of wearing masks, including property ways to handle and wear face coverings.