New Mask Requirement for UTHSC
August 2, 2021
Students, Faculty, and Staff,
In light of the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines issued last week for people – vaccinated AND unvaccinated – to wear masks while indoors
in public settings in areas of substantial or high transmission (which includes Tennessee),
all faculty, staff, students, patients, and guests will be REQUIRED to wear masks
while inside any UTHSC building, regardless of your vaccination status, beginning
Tuesday, August 3. Additionally:
- Social distancing will continue to be maintained in lecture halls, study spaces, and testing facilities with occupancy of every other seat.
- Social distancing will be maintained on elevators and in other confined spaces.
- Faculty delivering lectures may remove masks if they maintain 6 feet distance from others.
- Faculty and staff in private offices may remove masks while alone.
- Social distancing should be maintained while eating and drinking.
As we continue to monitor the surging spread of COVID-19, specifically the Delta variant,
and see the impact it is having on the state of Tennessee with our low vaccination
rate, we strongly encourage all faculty, staff, and students to receive the COVID-19 vaccination
as soon as possible.
We understand you may have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and are unsure about
getting vaccinated. University Health Services has a well-educated staff of primary care providers who
are available to answer any questions you might have about the vaccine. Please call
University Health Services at 901.448.5630 to speak with one of our primary care providers from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm, Monday through
Friday, or 2:00 – 5:00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
UTHSC will continue to follow recommendations issued by the CDC for maintaining maximum
safety on our campus. Thank you for your assistance as we continue to fight against
COVID-19!
Steve Schwab, MD
Chancellor