Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines on April 27, stating that those who are fully vaccinated don’t need to wear a mask outside unless they are in certain crowded settings or venues.  

Syracuse University has yet to change its mask mandate to match these guidelines. The university should allow fully vaccinated students, staff and faculty to go outside on campus without masks in specific settings.

Throughout the pandemic, SU has adhered to CDC guidelines and COVID-19 protocols. The dining halls recently reopened indoor seating after weeks of being closed to stop the spread of the virus, and students still must sit 6 feet apart in classrooms. 

The university has stressed that students need to follow guidelines that health officials have laid out. The Stay Safe Pledge requires students to wear masks indoors and outdoors, but SU should let students follow the CDC’s updated guidelines without facing punishment.

SU has set up multiple tents and picnic tables outdoors where students can have meals with their friends. Students sit in these areas without masks, in the open air, so how is walking around campus any different? While you’re walking around maskless outside, you’ll likely be farther from people than you would be when sitting with your friend and eating at a table.

More than 66% of SU students were fully vaccinated as of two weeks ago, and all students will be required to be fully vaccinated for the fall semester. With a majority of the student body vaccinated, it should be safe for fully vaccinated students to walk outside without wearing a mask. 

Some people may still be wary of others not wearing masks outside, but as the world slowly progresses toward normalcy, fully vaccinated people should be able to choose to not wear their mask outside. 

While those who are fully vaccinated should be able to take off their mask when outside, those who are not fully vaccinated must continue wearing a mask. This may be difficult to regulate, but SU should trust that students will follow the guidelines.

SU has followed the most up-to-date COVID-19 protocols for last year and a half; the university should not stop now. The university needs to update its COVID-19 protocols to match those of the CDC, and it should follow the CDC in allowing fully vaccinated people to take off their masks outside.

Teagan Brown is a sophomore history and broadcast and digital journalism dual major.

She can be reached at tbrown30@syr.edu and followed on twitter @teagannbrownn.

Published on May 5, 2021 at 1:39 am