Updated as of April 30, 2021 at 3:54 p.m. to include video.

Elon University announced a new outdoor mask policy effective immediately, Friday, April 30. According to an email from Jeff Stein, the chair of Ready & Resilient Committee, Elon has altered its face covering policy in line with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and state of North Carolina. 

“Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks outdoors except in crowded settings and venues where physical distancing is not being practiced,” Stein wrote. 

While masks are not needed in outdoor settings, they are still required at all times inside buildings on campus, including classrooms, public restrooms, offices and other indoor spaces. 

The Ready & Resilient update also included cumulative COVID-19 test and case numbers from this spring semester. Since January, 93,000 COVID-19 tests have been administered on campus, identifying 339 positive cases. By comparison, last fall semester saw 923 positive cases identified on campus, according to the 2020 COVID-19 Dashboard Archive.

According to the email, 73% of the campus has reported receiving at least one dose of the vaccine ––  77% undergraduate students and 69% of faculty and staff. This is only 3% under Elon’s goal to vaccinate 80% of its student population by the end of April.

“We cannot thank you enough for your commitment to our community this year. You made in-person living and learning possible,” Stein wrote. “Your willingness to wear masks, to test, to distance, and to navigate this pandemic together have made our community stronger.”  

According to Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Jana Lynn Patterson, the university will also hold additional walk-in vaccination clinics in the Koury Athletic Concourse, outside Alumni gym, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday May 4 through Thursday May 6, and again on Monday May 10. The clinic will have Johnson & Johnson vaccines while supplies last, and then will switch to Moderna. Any students who receive the Moderna vaccine will also be given information regarding how to get their second dose in their home state. The clinic does not require an appointment.