In accordance with a public health order issued by Salt Lake County Health Department Executive Director Dr. Angela Dunn on Friday, Salt Lake Community College will require the use of face coverings until 5 p.m. on Feb. 7.
Dunn’s order coincided with the Utah Department of Health reporting 9,469 new cases of COVID-19, a record number for the third day in a row. The order requires everyone in the county to wear well-fitting masks indoors and when queuing outdoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or previous infection.
“Masks should fit snugly and cover both the nose and mouth, and if possible, high-quality masks, such as KN95s, should be used rather than cloth masks,” read an email signed by SLCC President Deneece Huftalin.
“If you need a mask while at the college, they are available on all campuses at the information/front desk. They are also available at Faculty Support Centers and the Admissions Hub,” the email continued.
Salt Lake County also issued exemptions to the order, which include individuals who cannot wear a mask due to medical conditions or disabilities. Students seeking exemption from the mask mandate must contact SLCC’s Disability Resource Center, whereas employees seeking exemption must contact Carol Odeleye in Human Resources at 801-957-4722.
In a separate email sent Thursday, SLCC announced a resumption of on-campus testing for asymptomatic individuals and encouraged the college community to get vaccination boosters, citing the prevalence of the highly infectious omicron variant.
The email also informed students and employees that they must fill out the COVID-19 self-report form if they are exposed to or infected with COVID-19.
For more information regarding testing, self-reporting and the newly announced mask requirement, students and employees can visit SLCC’s coronavirus webpage.
