BYU closes areas of campus where students don’t comply with COVID-19 mask mandate
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PROVO, Utah – Students not wearing masks on Brigham Young University’s campus in Provo, Utah is causing concerns for administrators.
A post on the school’s Harold B. Lee Library Facebook page this week indicates a section of the library is temporarily closed due to “non-compliance with the campus mask policy.”
“Thank you to all the students wearing masks. Most of you are really helping. I’ve found a few places where people think they don’t need a mask. From now on I’ll be closing areas for the day where people aren’t following the university policy,” the post reads.
Fox 13 reports BYU experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases at the beginning of the fall semester. High numbers of cases continue to be reported daily statewide, which has lead to the implementation of a mask mandate in Utah.
Madison County, where BYU-Idaho is located, has also seen a dramatic increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in September, and October. The increase prompted school officials to call for greater compliance to required health restrictions among the student body and warned campus may be closed if health mandates are not followed.
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Rumors about students intentionally exposing themselves to the virus began to swirl after local plasma centers said they would pay more cash for those who have the COVID-19 antibody in their system. University officials strongly condemned this behavior in an email to students, saying those who intentionally expose themselves to the virus would be suspended or permanently dismissed.
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All students, employees and visitors to the BYU-Idaho campus are required to wear masks inside university buildings, classroom settings and outdoors within six feet of any other individual.