Effective Wednesday, May 25, face masks are once again required indoors across the University of Hawaiʻi System, except when working alone or separated from others by 6 feet or more. Restoration of this practice, consistent with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, was recommended by UH medical and public health experts and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health and affirmed by UH leadership.
Reinstatement of the comprehensive indoor mask requirement will help prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus and better protect the health of students and employees as every county in the state but one is currently assessed to have a “high” level of COVID-19 community transmission by the CDC. Only Hawaiʻi County is still rated “medium.” The CDC also ranks the state as 4th highest in the nation with an average 7-day case rate of 495.9 cases per 100,000 people.
The indoor face mask requirement will remain in place and be re-evaluated when the level of COVID-19 transmission in the state decreases. All members of the UH community should continue to monitor your hawaii.edu email and UHNews.org for updates.
If you test positive for COVID-19 and have been on campus or a UH facility, immediately contact your respective COVID-19 Response Team (contact info for each UH campus). Instructors can also inform the CRT with contact information of an individual. The UH System follows the State Department of Health return-to-work guidance.
Do not report to a UH campus or facility if any of these apply:
- You tested positive for COVID-19 and are on home isolation.
- You have new or worsening symptoms that could be COVID-19 and not attributable to a pre-existing condition.
- You are immunocompromised and are a close contact of a COVID-19 positive individual.
- You are not “up to date” with your vaccines and are a close contact of a COVID-19 positive individual. “Up to date” means you have received all COVID-19 vaccine doses for which you are eligible, e.g., the initial two shots and a booster.
- You must isolate for 5 days after the date of last exposure and may return on day 6 if you have not had a fever within the past 24 hours and your symptoms have significantly improved. When you return to campus, you must wear a well-fitted mask at all times and not eat or drink around others until the full 10 days have passed.
- You are subject to government-issued or a healthcare provider’s orders to quarantine.
Please continue to follow the UH COVID-19 Guidelines except as described above regarding masking, and mahalo for your assistance in keeping our campus communities safe.
