Mask requirements return
Aug 5, 2021Rockingham Community College has reinstated its face mask requirement in the wake of the COVID-19 Delta variant becoming prevalent across the nation.
“With the COVID-19 Delta strain, Rockingham County has entered the ‘red category,’” said RCC President Dr. Mark Kinlaw.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks counties based on whether they are at low, moderate, substantial or high risks of transmission. As a “red” county, Rockingham County is at high risk. As of Aug. 4, just 36.3 percent of the county’s population is fully vaccinated.
“RCC is taking actions to protect both its employees and its students,” Kinlaw said.
As of Wednesday, Aug. 4, face masks must be worn inside buildings on campus, whether or not a person is fully vaccinated. Employees may unmask when they are alone in their offices.
Masks are not required outdoors, as long as a minimum of 6 feet of social distancing can be maintained.
Plexiglas that was installed to separate work stations and lab areas across campus in 2020 remain in place, and additional barriers will be installed. Sanitation supplies continue to be restocked in all buildings, including hand sanitizer stations.
“We do not plan to divide class sections and reduce class sizes, nor do we plan to ‘flip’ classes to online, although we have the capacity to do that if the need arises,” Kinlaw said.
RCC’s plan to make the campus available for public meetings again has been delayed until at least Oct. 1.
“This current situation, as it has been all along, is fluid and our guidelines are subject to changes,” said Kinlaw. “The College will continue its contact tracing and communication as it has been doing through the COVID-19 pandemic. We will do that until we don’t need to anymore.”
The fall semester begins on Aug. 16. Enrollment was up 25 percent on Aug. 5, compared to that same day in 2020.
