7.30.21

Dear UIS Students, Faculty and Staff —

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention issued new recommendations that all individuals, including those who are fully vaccinated, wear face coverings when indoors in public settings in areas that have substantial or high community transmission of COVID-19. Sangamon County is included among many counties in Illinois with substantial transmission.

After consulting with the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, UIS is updating our health and safety policies to align with this latest CDC guidance. Effective Monday, Aug. 2, all individuals will be required to wear a face covering when indoors in common spaces on the UIS campus or in off-campus UIS facilities. Below is a brief breakdown of how this change affects you.

Fully vaccinated individuals:

• When indoors, wearing a face covering in all common areas is required.
• When outdoors, wearing a face covering is not required.
• No physical distancing limitations.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals:

• When indoors, wearing a face covering in all common areas and maintaining six feet of distance from others at all times is required.
• When outdoors, wearing a face covering when six feet of distance cannot be maintained from others is required.

For all individuals, a face covering does not need to be worn when alone in a private office or room, when eating or drinking, or when traveling alone in a vehicle. As a reminder, students who are medically unable to wear a face covering should contact the Office of Disability Services. Faculty and staff who are medically unable to wear a face covering should contact Human Resources.

This new requirement will remain in effect until the Sangamon County Department of Public Health determines it can be lifted. The SCDPH’s decisions are informed by both the Illinois Department of Public Health and the CDC.

Vaccinations are our most powerful tool to keep community transmission low and return us to a more normal way of life. Information on how to receive a vaccination can be found on the IDPH vaccination website. Our community neighbors at SIU School of Medicine recently issued a helpful FAQ on vaccine safety and efficacy.

Thank you for your flexibility as we adapt to emerging public health guidance. If you have any questions, please email covid19@uis.edu.

United in Safety,

Karen

Karen M. Whitney, PhD
Interim Chancellor
University of Illinois Springfield