Covid-19: Yale requires masks indoors as Delta variant spreads

Bloomberg

Yale University is reinstituting a requirement that all individuals wear masks in indoor campus spaces, joining other colleges in efforts to combat the delta variant.
Under the policy effective from August 2, masks must be worn regardless of vaccination status, the New Haven, Connecticut-based school said. Exceptions will be made for those working alone in a segregated space, such as a private office or in a partitioned cubicle.
Yale’s decision was made after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that New Haven County had reached a “substantial” level of delta transmission, school officials said. The agency recently updated guidance recommending that everyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, mask indoors in public spaces when local conditions are at a “substantial” or “high” level of viral transmission.
Colleges are taking steps to limit infections as they return students to campus. With vaccines reducing Covid-19 cases, administrators hoped for a more normal semester, particularly since many students deferred attendance last year. Still, many schools are mandating vaccinations for the new semester. Brown University is
resuming required routine asymptomatic Covid-19 testing for all students, faculty and staff. It had discontinued that for vaccinated individuals about a month ago. “‘We believe this is a reasonable and appropriate measure to help ensure a safe and healthy fall,” Russell Carey, executive vice president for planning and policy, said.
At Duke University, face masks will be required at school-owned and leased buildings, regardless of vaccination status, officials said.