University Announces Fall's 'Full Reopening,' Which Will Require Vaccinated Teens to Still Wear Masks

For students at a New Jersey college, the masking isn’t over.

In March of last year, I brought news to the RedState world.

On the 16th, I announced, “Trump Releases ’15 Days to Slow the Spread.'”

I have to say — it’s been a very long two weeks.

From Fox News at the time:

When asked when the pandemic would subside, Trump said that “if we do a really good job,” the crisis could pass by July or August, a far less optimistic take than in his earlier predictions that it could be over within weeks.

Like Elvis sang, “Memories…”

Now here we are, nearing July of another year, and the pandemic — at least in part — is still upon us.

If you doubt it, consider Monmouth University’s new COVID-19 guidelines for the 2021 fall semester.

According to its Health Protocols webpage, social distancing will still be a thing.

The school notes a recent gubernatorial order “relaxed the 6-feet social distancing requirement at all New Jersey institutions of higher education.”

But at Monmouth, safety first:

[O]ut of an abundance of caution, the University will try, when possible, to establish 3-feet social distancing wherever any in-person instruction is taking place on campus…

Three feet, it says, may also be required by faculty of any student office visitors.

And how about showing your perfect 18-year-old punum?

Don’t expect to, unless you’re “outside or in communal spaces on campus.”

[T]he University will continue to require masks in all classroom, lab, and teaching spaces, as well as the library, for everyone in attendance… Individual faculty and support staff may also require students visiting their respective offices to be masked before meeting.

To be clear, the above limited restrictions are for vaccinated students only.

For the non-needled, all the same applies, plus masks must be worn in all shared indoor spaces.

So goes college life amid — per the guidelines — “our full reopening in the fall.”

And upon that grand return, students are required to have taken the vaccine:

[T]he University is requiring every member of the Monmouth community (i.e., students, faculty, staff) to be fully vaccinated…

However, exemptions are allowed “on medical or religious grounds, or on the basis of the COVID-19 vaccine’s current emergency use authorization (EUA) status.”

In those cases:

All residential students must provide evidence of a negative COVID test – completed no more than 72 hours in advance of move-in – prior to the designated move-in date.

Mask requirement indoors at all times.

Weekly surveillance testing requirement through Health Services.

Use of Campus Clear symptom tracking app whenever reporting to campus.

Unvaccinated individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for the duration of the isolation period – consistent with CDC and University guidelines – and class attendance policies will continue to apply to the required absences.

Unvaccinated residential students will be required to quarantine in a designated facility on campus.

In the event of an outbreak among our campus community, unvaccinated students may be sent home. At such time of an outbreak, the University will need to revisit this policy and consider adjustments to current course modalities.

If you’re unvaccinated and have a close encounter with COVID, you’re out of luck:

Unvaccinated individuals who come in close physical contact with someone who has COVID-19 must first report the exposure to Health Services, and then quarantine pursuant to local public health guidelines (7-10 days depending on evidence of negative test results), with no guarantee of remote learning availability during the quarantine, and class attendance policies will continue to apply to the required absences.

It’s a noted difference of approach compared to Rhodes College in Memphis. If you haven’t had your shots there, they just charge you $1,500.

#Easier.

Will the COVID clampdown ever end? Personally, I wouldn’t say Yes.

We’re looking at nearly 2 years by the time next semester ends, and any Monmouther who has a brush with corona may be holed up for 10 days — for a virus that was only supposed to slow us down for 15.

Life has thrown us a curveball. And we really need to flatten the curve. And punch out the pitcher.

And burn the stadium to the ground — maybe that’ll kill the germs.

Whatever we have to do to that curve, let’s hope we do it soon.

So we no longer have to mask up like umpires.

We need to know the plan for ratcheting up the resources necessary to raise the line here. Otherwise, flattening the curve won't do anything but destroy the economy. The line right now isn't high enough to clear the flattened curve indefinitely, or in case of second wave. pic.twitter.com/ocdUre6ZAd

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) March 20, 2020

When Will It Be Safe to End Coronavirus Lockdowns? Flattening the curve isn't enough, Columbia U. scientist tells the New Yorker. https://t.co/Ig87yrJNzk via @NewYorker

— Tony Davis (@tonydavis987) May 9, 2020