Published on Oct. 14, 2021

Updated on April 13, 2023

Dear Campus Community,

Thank you for your continued efforts to keep our campus community safe and healthy during the pandemic.

We are encouraged that COVID-19 cases this semester have remained low. Additionally, we now see our local hospitals are keeping up with the needs of COVID-19 and other patients. More people in our community have been vaccinated in recent weeks and thousands have voluntarily uploaded vaccination documents.

Based on these improving conditions, our temporary indoor masking mandate will expire after Oct. 15. Our requirements will be replaced with an expectation that everyone remains vigilant in protecting themselves and others against COVID-19. We now ask that everyone, regardless of whether they are vaccinated, wear masks in all indoor spaces, especially when social distancing is not possible.

With this change, MU’s mask guidance comes into alignment with the latest Boone County public health advisory and CDC guidance, which both include recommendations for indoor masking. University facilities and operations in other parts of the state will follow local public health guidance.

Some units across campus, including MU Health Care, the School of Medicine and certain facilities in the College of Veterinary Medicine, may continue to have requirements that are specific to their units.

Everyone’s continued vigilance is vital. If you have not received a COVID-19 vaccine, you can schedule an appointment at multiple locations, including MU Health Care or with the city of Columbia. Additionally, on-campus flu shot clinics for students will also offer COVID-19 vaccine options for students, faculty and staff. Learn more by viewing the schedule for those clinics.

Please remember to stay home when you are sick, get tested if you have COVID symptoms, follow quarantine guidance and report positive cases to the university. Following these practices will continue to assist us in managing the situation, which allows in-person learning, work and other activities to continue.

Thank you,

Mark Diedrich
Incident Commander
MU Incident Command Team

John Middleton
Operations Section Chief
MU Incident Command Team