Some colleges and universities in New York City have reinstituted mask mandates amid a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Columbia University, the affiliated Barnard College and Pace University have all started requiring masks again in at least some indoor settings.
Columbia reinstated mask rules on Monday “based on the current situation and in an abundance of caution,” according to school communications obtained by The Post.
The policy, which requires students to wear non-cloth masks, is expected to remain in place through the final weeks of the spring semester.
Instructors, however, still have the option to remove their masks while teaching.
The Ivy League school had nixed the requirement on March 14, only to bring it back less than a month later.
Partner school Barnard College has also temporarily reinstated the requirement in classrooms, dining halls, libraries and other indoor spaces, according to the student newspaper.
Pace University, meanwhile, moved to reimplement its mask mandate in all public spaces on its Big Apple campus effective Monday. Its facilities in Westchester, which according to officials remained at “low risk status,” won’t be affected by the new rules.
In an internal letter obtained by The Post, Pace officials said events can continue as scheduled and dining halls will remain open, but masks are required when not actively eating.
High-quality masks have been required at New York University wherever in-person attendance is mandatory and prolonged, such as in classrooms and meetings, according to its website.
“The good news is that people who are vaccinated are at very low risk of serious infection even if they test positive,” wrote Brian Anderson, executive director of Emergency Management and Environmental Health and Safety. “But our hope is to keep case rates as low as possible to protect everyone in our community.”
A CUNY spokesperson told The Post that masks are optional at its campuses and offices, though many people continue to wear them.
“The University monitors CDC guidelines and regularly consults with our State and City health officials,” he said. “Should the circumstances require a reconsideration of this or any other policy, the necessary changes to keep the CUNY community safe will be made.”
Fordham and St. John’s universities are still mask-optional for vaccinated students.
