Face coverings no longer required on Virginia Tech campuses

Roanoke, Virginia – As a result of the most recent coronavirus data provided by national health authorities, Virginia Tech has announced that masks will no longer be necessary in public indoor settings, with few exceptions, on all of its campuses, including those in Blacksburg and Roanoke.

The following is the whole statement released by Virginia Tech on social media on Friday, March 11:

“On March 10, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the COVID-19 community levels on which masking recommendations are based.

Montgomery County has moved from “high” to “medium,” the same level as Roanoke City. Richmond and Northern Virginia counties remain at “low” levels.

As President Tim Sands noted in his message last week, the CDC community level, which reflects stress on local hospitals, is one of the primary considerations in determining Virginia Tech’s COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Based on the updated assessment, masks are no longer required in public indoor settings on Virginia Tech campuses, except for health care settings and on public transit. Masks are recommended in indoor instructional settings.

As we continue to monitor CDC community levels, future updates will be posted as a campus notice, and shared on the Virginia Tech Ready site.”

This announcement comes less than a week after the university stated that face coverings would be optional on the campuses in the Richmond and Washington, D.C. metro areas, but would continue to be mandatory on the Blacksburg and Roanoke campuses.