Across the nation, COVID-19 cases are rapidly declining. Pennsylvania and Snyder County are no exception, seeing a roughly 93% decline in cases from their Omicron peaks (Pennsylvania COVID-19 Dashboard). As the pandemic evolves, so must our local, state, and national strategies. 

Polities have acknowledged this. On February 7, 2022, California announced that it would rescind its universal masking mandate for vaccinated individuals. New Jersey, Delaware, and Connecticut, among other states, mark a trend of COVID-restrictive states that are now beginning to loosen masking requirements for children in schooling. As Susquehanna acknowledges, so too must "our work [...] evolve" with the virus.

Masks can not only be a burden for students to wear, interfering with the learning process; their benefits are often marginal and contingent on the correct type of mask and its proper usage.

Furthermore, the vast majority of Susquehanna's students fall into a demographic at minimal risk from the virus. This risk precludes the other precautions we've taken (and protections we've acquired), like vaccination and a subsequent booster.

With roughly 96% of our campus vaccinated, in conjunction with the recent decline in COVID-19 cases, it is time to update our COVID policies and rescind our outdated masking requirement.