Masks are now optional on campus at Long Beach State, as President Jane Close Conoley released an email on Monday, informing the campus community masks are “strongly recommended,” but not required.
Conoley, in her email, asked members of the Beach community to continue to self-monitor covid-related symptoms, and respect “the precaution of electing to continue wearing a facial covering.”
“Public Health reports that we are in a low transmission phase and cases on campus have dropped to a very few,” Conoley said. “Given that vaccinations are required, we think we are in a disease management period, rather than a disease prevention effort.”
Positive covid cases in L.A. County have been on a steep decline since July 11, where the 7-day average peaked at 24, 337 cases. As of Sept. 12, the 7-day daily average was a little over 2,000.
It is unclear yet whether the university’s lifted mask mandate applies to all places on campus, such as the Student Health Center, but masks are no longer required in the classroom.
The president urged everyone to respect other’s choices in wearing a mask and said the new lift on the mask mandate is subject to change as the university continues to monitor cases in the city.