University of Hawaiʻi Suspends Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination & Testing Policy

University of Hawaiʻi 10-campus system has indefinitely suspended its mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements for students and employees.

The institution will no longer require students and employees with approved vaccine exemptions to test for COVID-19 on a regular basis. However, the university pointed out that regular testing will continue in student residence halls until the end of the semester.

Students and employees were informed about the updated policy via a March 23 email, Erudera.com reports.

“The UH Officers made the decision to suspend the policies based on guidance provided by the UH COVID-19 Health and Wellbeing Working Group, a team of UH medical and public health experts,” the email which was signed by the UH Officers, the leadership team with representation from the ten campuses led by UH President David Lassner noted.

The email stated that the decision came after the latest COVID-19 guidance from the state and federal governments.

University’s COVID-19 guidelines that took effect yesterday (March 26) include the requirements below.

• Face masks indoors in classrooms, shared laboratories, instructional spaces, and in restricted educational spaces
• Campus officials may continue to specify areas where masks are needed in order to enhance safety
• Students and employees returning to campus after quarantine should wear masks for a ten-day period
• Those who test positive for COVID-19 have to stay home and quarantine for at least five days until they are fever free within 24 hours without using medication
• Full or Up-to-date vaccination for students and employees in particular programs or courses such as medical, nursing, social work, dental hygiene, allied health courses, embedded within partner institutions that ask for COVID-19 vaccine

Since March 26, the university announced it will no longer require the following:

• COVID-19 health screening via the LumiSight UH health application
• Face coverings indoors
• Face masks outdoors
• Proof of vaccination or negative test results of visitors wishing to access campus events
• Students and employees with approved exemptions to upload negative test results
• Campuswide notification of positive COVID-19 cases reported on a UH campus

“As we transition to personal responsibility for managing COVID-19 infections and exposures, individuals are strongly urged to report their cases/exposures to their designated campus official,” the email added.

The university stated that the updated policy depends on the pandemic developments while adding that it will continue to monitor the situation among the UH community.

The post University of Hawaiʻi Suspends Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination & Testing Policy appeared first on Erudera College News.