Masks will no longer be required indoors at UBC after June 30, bringing an end to an almost year-long mandate.
President Santa Ono and Deputy Vice Chancellor and Principal of UBC Okanagan Lesley Cormack made the announcement in a broadcast message earlier today.
“After consulting with internal stakeholders, and consistent with the position of the BC Provincial Health Officer, the university has made the decision to no longer require masks in public indoor spaces on campus after June 30,” the pair wrote, adding that public health data showed that BC has also passed the sixth wave of the pandemic.
UBC has required masks in shared indoor spaces since late August 2021 after the province announced new safety measures ahead of the return to in-person learning. Even after the province ended its own mask mandate in early March of this year, UBC decided to keep its requirement in place until April 30 and then later to June 30.
While masks will no longer be required in university-operated buildings starting June 30, the mask mandate in the Nest — which is under the jurisdiction of the AMS — remains in place. At the June 22 AMS Council meeting, councillors gave the Executive Committee power to lift the mandate — which seemed ready to do if UBC ended its requirement.
Ono and Cormack said maintaining a safe environment on campus is still important, despite the end of the mask mandate, encouraging people to conduct a daily COVID-19 symptom assessment, get vaccinated and to wash their hands regularly.
The pair also acknowledged that some might want to continue wearing masks. “We ask all our students, faculty and staff to be respectful of these decisions,” they wrote.
“UBC will continue to monitor the situation regarding COVID-19 as we head into the fall, and is well placed to adjust its approach if required."