Masks off: Sac State’s face covering mandate will be lifted after March 18
Wendy Le, a third year computer science major (left), and Elisha Singh, a first year psychology major (right) walk down the stairs of the Student Union, on Thursday, March 10. Sacramento State President Robert S. Nelsen announced via mass email to students that masks can come down beginning Friday, March 18. (Photo by Kamelia Varasteh)
March 12, 2022
President Robert S. Nelsen announced via a SacSend on Thursday afternoon that the school-wide mask mandate will be lifted on the majority of Sacramento State’s campus and at the downtown location after March 18.
“It means that the university has beliefs that science shows that it is safe for us to do so,” Brian Blomster, director of news and communications at Sac State said.
The mandate will be dropped following the California Department of Public Health’s announcement on Feb. 28 that the mandatory indoor mask requirements will be terminated in childcare and K-12 schools in the state.
Nelsen said that as of right now, there might be mixed emotions regarding the lifted mandate. With the vaccination rate at the school being above 96%, the risk factor is low.
“I’m a bit indifferent about it at this point I suppose,” fourth year anthropology major Nicholas Rizzonelli said. “I feel that we’re going to have a few cases of COVID-19. Also because of the vaccine requirement and the booster requirement we’ve had, it is probably relatively safe.”
When asked about how students feel about the current mask mandate, third year psychology major Kaleo Ngo said that “I am a bit annoyed when I breathe.”
She followed up by saying that she does not like online learning and is worried about instructors moving their classes online if cases start rising again.
Students on campus have been wearing masks since returning to campus last fall and have been required to be fully vaccinated- with the exception of medical or religious exemptions- and to wear face coverings at all times while indoors.
“I feel like I will still be using my mask during this time,” second year psychology major Samantha Nunez said. “As long as I am not forced to not wear my mask.”
When asked about how the university will be handling the removal of the face-covering mandate, Blomster reassured that the decision of wearing one or not is up to every individual.
“Sac State is a caring campus, and we care for everybody,” Blomster said. “If your decision is to wear a mask, then that is your decision and we honor it.”
The worry of getting infected on campus is ongoing as students like second year political science major Britney McMiller express the overall thought that the infection by the virus is still possible.
“I mean there is always going to be that factor of you may or may not get it,” McMiller said.
Students like Rizzonelli went on to express their concern about the general public entering the campus, and therefore potentially exposing individuals whilst others are taking precautions to stay safe and healthy.
“With the booster requirement, as long as we don’t have non-students or students who have somehow cheated the system coming on campus,” Rizzonelli said. “I think it will be pretty effective.”
The university has been enforcing its safety on campus through sanitizing stations and face covering requirements within buildings. With events such as commencement returning to being in-person, Blomster said that the university is slowly returning to normalcy and tries to uphold community expectations.
“Sac State has been very willing to take steps that will ensure the health and safety of the campus community while delivering the kind of education that our students and community expect,” Blomster said.
There are N95 masks available for free on campus at multiple locations such as the library and the University Union, and students and staff are free to make their masking decisions for themselves after March 18.
“We are looking forward to having a great rest of the spring,” Blomster said. “Whatever normal is, we are trying to get back to it, that keeps us safe and healthy and that we can continue to share the knowledge that a university like ours is meant to share.”
