LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming is proceeding with a traditional fall 2021 semester while taking steps to manage COVID-19 amid an increase in cases locally and nationally.

Today UW’s Board of Trustees approved a fall semester plan that strongly encourages and incentivizes COVID vaccinations. Other measures for the fall semester include:

• Requiring masks indoors through at least Sept. 20 under circumstances to be communicated to the campus early next week;
• Requiring students and employees to be tested upon entry to the university;
• Including a mandatory education seminar on the virus;
• Expanding the current weekly sample testing program to both vaccinated and unvaccinated employees and students, with 3 percent of the population tested weekly;
• Providing for adjustments as circumstances change.

The indoor mask policy does not apply to people alone in their offices and private spaces, and there are medical exceptions.

President Ed Seidel also has some discretion to consider lifting the requirement in certain circumstances. At its Sept. 15 meeting, the board will revisit the mask requirement by considering data including case numbers, testing prevalence, and vaccine uptake.

“Our hope is that the indoor mask requirement will only be necessary for the start of the fall semester. We will monitor the data closely between now and when the board revisits the issue at its September meeting.”

University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel

Details about the requirements for the educational seminar and one-time testing of all students at the start of the semester will be shared in the coming days.

There are eight active cases of the virus reported by UW’s COVID-19 Hub — five students living off campus and three employees as of Monday. The total number of confirmed COVID cases among UW students and employees since the pandemic began is 2,276.

The positivity rate among tests conducted under UW’s random-sample program in the past week is 1.39 percent.

Vaccines

The university continues to highly encourage but not mandate the COVID vaccine for faculty, staff, and students, in concert with a directive from Gov. Mark Gordon.

“The vaccines are proven to be highly safe and effective in preventing infection and serious illness, even for the easily transmissible Delta variant,” Seidel says. “It remains our sincere hope that all of our employees and students who are medically able will choose to be vaccinated.”

UW requires all faculty, staff, and students who are vaccinated to report it — to allow the university to track overall vaccination numbers. Additionally, those who report vaccinations become eligible for weekly prize drawings.

Random-Sample Testing

Since July 1, the university has been conducting random-sample testing of 3 percent of the UW community on a weekly basis. Initially, those who were vaccinated were allowed to opt out of the testing. That is no longer the case in light of the new guidance from the CDC about the potential for vaccinated people to transmit the virus.

Employees and students can still opt out of testing if they will not be on campus for the week; have been diagnosed with COVID within the last 90 days, or are sick or in quarantine.

Contingency options

Increased testing is one of the measures the university could implement if the pandemic worsens significantly. Others include reinstating the COVID Pass for required daily screening, restrictions on gatherings, travel, and visitors, enhanced cleaning of classrooms and common spaces, and physical distancing recommendations.

More information about UW’s COVID-19 response can be found at www.uwyo.edu/campus-return, which is being updated as information becomes available. Those with questions about testing and other COVID-19 issues may call (307) 766-COVD (2683) or email [email protected].

Questions specifically about the vaccine should be emailed to [email protected]. A UW vaccine webpage has been established at www.uwyo.edu/alerts/campus-return/vaccination.