COVID-19 Update: Vaccinated People Can Take Their Masks Off Starting May 19

May 19, 2021

Dear members of our on-campus community,

AsPresident Pestello announced on Friday, life is finally returning to more normalcy on our St. Louis campuses.

Beginning today, fully vaccinated students, staff and faculty members are free to not wear their face masks, and to not be socially distant indoors and out on our campuses — in most situations.

However, per the most recent CDC guidance, fully vaccinated students, staff and faculty are required to wear their face masks and remain 6 feet apart in health care settings, such as the Student Health Center, Employee Health and in clinical facilities operated by SLUCare. Of course, there are clinical evaluations and other circumstances where the social distancing rule must be broken.

Our public health guidance for summer courses, labs, training and camps is still being refined. It is likely to include additional factors that maintain public health safeguards for vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. We hope to have the guidance for summer programs finalized shortly.

We appreciate your patience as we continue to assess how the most recent CDC and City guidance affects those parts of our campuses that remain open as the semester ends and the summer session begins.

While we certainly have a lot of work ahead to plan for the fall term, here are some key points to note for the summer at SLU:

• If you are not vaccinated: You should continue to wear your face mask inside all SLU buildings. This includes the Simon Recreation Center, the Pius Library, BSC, Boileau Hall, the common areas of all buildings, in classrooms, clinical settings, etc.
  • You don’t need to wear your face mask in your on-campus residence hall room, while eating at a campus dining facility, or outdoors if you can maintain 6 feet of distance between yourself and others.
  • You must maintain 6 feet of social distance from others while indoors.
  • You are still required to use #CampusClear each morning. Those self-checks will identify COVID-like symptoms so you can be tested and COVID can be confirmed or ruled out.
  • Additionally, to enter the Simon Recreation Center and Pius Memorial Library, you will need to present your #CampusClear “Good to go” screen.
  • Our summer session guidance for indoor and outdoor programs may modify some of these safeguards for unvaccinated persons.
• If you are vaccinated: You should continue to wear your face mask when you are in any clinical facilities, such as the Student Health Center, Employee Health, SLUCare, etc.
  • Otherwise, you are not required to wear a face mask indoors or outdoors. And you are not required to be 6 feet apart from other vaccinated persons.
  • You are still required to use #CampusClear each morning. Those self-checks will identify COVID-like symptoms so you can be tested and COVID can be ruled out or confirmed. According to epidemiological data, there have been some “breakthrough” cases of infection among fully vaccinated individuals, though the rate has been very low.
  • Additionally, to enter the Simon Recreation Center and Pius Memorial Library, you will need to present your #CampusClear “Good to go” screen.
  • Our summer session guidance for indoor and outdoor programs may modify some of these safeguards for vaccinated persons.
• At this time, we arerelying on the honor system for affirming your vaccine status.
• Pre-commencement: AsPresident Pestello said on Friday,the public health pre-commencement plan approved by City public health authorities is still in effect. It requires social distancing and face masks foreveryone.
• Pius XII Memorial Library: For the time being, access to Pius XII Memorial Library will remain by key card.
  • No non-SLU persons will be permitted in the Pius Library without the escort of a SLU community member. Non-SLU visitors, when accompanied by a SLU student, faculty or staff member, do not need to wear a mask if they say they are fully vaccinated. And they do not need to practice social distancing, again, if they are fully vaccinated.
• Fall semester: There is much work ahead of us in planning for the fall term. This message is only intended to offer guidance for those who remain on campus as we enter this new normal. Please expect more messages, as our plans regarding “return-to-work” and fall semester are developed, much as we did last summer. Stay tuned.

We are all eager for this return to normalcy. Seeing smiles on West Pine and enjoying the company of friends without fear or guilt. It’s here –– finally.

I look forward to seeing you this summer and fall.

Stay safe and be well,

Terri Rebmann, Ph.D., RN, CIC, FAPIC
Special Assistant to the President
Director, Institute for Biosecurity
Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
College for Public Health and Social Justice