UMass Boston bringing back indoor mask requirement
BOSTON - UMass Boston is bringing back an indoor mask mandate as COVID cases continue to rise.
The requirement will be reinstated on Monday, the school said in a message to the campus community.
"Our mask requirement applies to all individuals regardless of vaccination status and the requirement applies in all indoor settings (including campus shuttles) as well as in crowded outdoor settings," school officials said.
The announcement comes as the Boston area and much of Massachusetts has moved into "high" COVID community levels on the latest CDC map, reflecting rising case numbers and hospitalization rates.
The CDC recommends masking when the COVID community level is high.
"For the sake of the health of our campus and community, we are hopeful that this latest wave of the COVID pandemic will pass quickly," UMass Boston said.
Boston, Newton, Arlington and Watertown are among the K-12 school districts that recommended masks for students as they returned from winter break earlier this week.