Kent State announced revisions to its guidelines for face coverings in an emailed statement Wednesday.

“Beginning today, we strongly recommend face coverings be worn by both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals when interacting with others indoors,” Manfred van Dulmen, associate provost for academic affairs, said in the statement.

In June, the university announced loosened COVID-19 guidelines, no longer requiring vaccinated individuals to wear face coverings indoors or outdoors or be tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis. At the time, Kent State also announced the end of required physical distancing. 

The decision to adjust the safety guidelines is because the Centers for Disease Control updated its mask guidance for fully-vaccinated individuals Tuesday as a result of the spread of the Delta variant. 

According to the new guidelines, individuals “working alone in an office setting” or instructors who are actively teaching do not need to wear face coverings.

The statement reinforced the university’s recommendation that members of the university community get vaccinated against COVID-19 as a part of its Flashes Safe Eight safety principles. The announcement also highlighted the university’s use of needlepoint bipolar ionization units, which the university invested in this past year with CARES Act funding, “to enhance air purification and filtration,” the announcement stated.

“Let’s do all we can to ensure a safe start to the fall semester by wearing a face covering when you are indoors and around others,” van Dulmen said in the statement. 

Emma Andrus is a copy editor. Contact her at [email protected].