Gannon University announced Wednesday that masks are now optional indoors on both its Ruskin, Fla. and Erie campuses.

The announcement was sent out via email at 4 p.m., and the lifting of the mask mandate went into effect immediately. This is the second time Gannon has announced the lifting of the mask mandate since the pandemic started in 2020. It was previously lifted in June for a brief period.

The decision to make masks optional comes as 85.9% of the Gannon community is fully vaccinated, including faculty, staff and students.

It is strongly recommended that unvaccinated individuals continue to wear face masks, and current testing protocols for unvaccinated individuals and those experiencing symptoms remain in place.

The university also encourages anyone experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms to avoid campus and reach out to the nurses in the Health Center through the LiveSafe app in order to uphold the healthy environment that has been created on campus during the pandemic.

“We have collectively worked to create a healthy environment where we can pursue our studies or our livelihood, and this is a significant moment for the Gannon community in its fight against COVID-19,” Doug Oathout, chief of staff and director of marketing and communications said in a statement.

To stay updated on Gannon’s COVID-19 policies and efforts, visit update.gannon.edu.

MADELINE BRUCE

[email protected]