VCU Updates Mask Policy
By Shannon Roberson
As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third spring, some people have seemingly hit the ‘snooze’ button. Vaccine rates have slowed, and mask mandates are fading out including here at VCU.
On Friday, February 25, 2022, the VCU Together Update sent out a campus-wide email informing everyone masks can be worn voluntarily on March 21 due to the most recent COVID-19 Omicron surge slowing down. It is still a requirement for masks to be worn in clinical settings, public transit, and in-person classes.
However, this decision comes at a time when students have recently returned from Spring Break and now a new wave of the virus is being observed in Hong Kong and European countries such as the U.K., Ireland, and Switzerland as reported by NPR and Forbes. One can’t help feeling COVID déjà vu.
Like many students, Eleni Georgiou, a graduating fourth year, has serious reservations about VCU’s decision. In terms of VCU’s mandatory mask policies, so far she has felt safe. But with the updates, she is unsure of both her safety and her family’s. “I’ll probably be even more cautious visiting my grandma and my mom at home,” Georgiou said. “It makes me more nervous not having people be required to wear a mask.”
On Friday, February 25, 2022, the VCU Together Update sent out a campus-wide email informing everyone masks can be worn voluntarily on March 21 due to the most recent COVID-19 Omicron surge slowing down.
Students have already taken action on VCU's updated COVID-19 policies this semester. One example has been the group WalkoutVCU peacefully protesting the university’s decisions to limit hybrid modality courses, the voluntary mask update, as well as other concerns. 
The fully online and hybrid modalities have benefited students with disabilities as it has given them flexibility, safety, and accessibility with their education. By limiting these options, VCU has sent a message to certain students that their health and safety are not priorities.
These updated measures also put staff and administration at risk of getting infected, which could seriously affect their students, research, and income.
“I can’t imagine how they’re feeling. I feel like we should be able to protect everyone wearing a mask.” Georgiou said. “That’s the whole point. It’s not just for yourself, it’s for other people too.”
So what can you do to protect yourself as well as be an ally to students with disabilities? The easiest thing to do is keep wearing your mask, even in spaces where it’s voluntary.
Another way of showing support is by participating in spreading awareness either through attending WalkoutVCU’s peaceful protests or sharing reliable information on the protectiveness of masks.
Finally, it’s important to hold VCU accountable for when a COVID-19 surge happens. Risk is already being taken by making masks voluntary, easing up on social distancing, and limiting hybrid course options. The message this school has sent to its students and staff who are at increased risk is that they no longer care about their safety or the risk.
A surge is bound to happen sooner or later. By taking away protective measures, the toll this virus could have on the VCU community could be much higher. The responsibility to protect and support one another far outweighs the discomfort of wearing a mask.
Photo courtesy of Stanely Morales from Pexels