JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Anyone planning to spend time on the campus of the University of North Florida, be sure to bring a mask along.
The university announced on its Facebook page that effective immediately, all faculty, staff, students and anyone else coming onto campus must wear a mask.
The announcement says the masks must be worn in all indoor and outdoor areas at all times. The move is an effort to protect the health and safety of the Osprey community during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Facebook post.
A link in the post to more information on the university's website clarifies that any employees who are working alone in their offices or students who are alone in a room on campus are the only exceptions to the "at all times" rule.
"The use of cloth face coverings can potentially slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others," UNF's coronavirus web page explains. "It is our shared responsibility to do everything we can to protect our fellow Ospreys, and we appreciate all of your support to protect our community."
The university's site offers links to more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on the importance of wearing masks, including the proper way to wear face coverings and how to handle them. You can find that information by clicking here.
The CDC says people who are infected but do not have symptoms of COVID-19 can still spread the novel coronavirus to others. "That’s why it’s important for everyone to practice social distancing (staying at least 6 feet away from other people) and wear cloth face coverings in public settings. Cloth face coverings provide an extra layer to help prevent the respiratory droplets from traveling in the air and onto other people," the CDC website says.
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