On Friday, February 25, the University of Chicago announced its on-campus mask mandate will end on March 4 “for much of campus,” including “most non-medical campus office settings, on-campus residence halls, retail stores, and dining spaces.” However, masks will still be required in classrooms until the end of Winter Quarter, with no explanation being offered for this discrepancy other than “to maintain continuity for students and instructors in classroom settings.” Individuals are permitted to lower their masks when speaking in class, though.
UChicago also announced that mandatory weekly COVID testing for vaccinated individuals living on campus will end on February 28. Cited as reasons for this change were “declining case numbers on campus and in the Chicago area” and “guidance from experts at UChicago Medicine.” Unvaccinated individuals who live on campus will still be required to be tested weekly.
UChicago’s relaxation of COVID policies comes after the City of Chicago announced an end to its indoor mask mandate and vaccine requirement, effective February 28. It also comes after the Chicago Thinker brought national attention to UChicago’s COVID decrees, persistently condemning the university’s mask mandate and vaccine requirements.