In a February 4 email to the campus community, COVID-19 Resource Coordinator Mike Ranen announced that some masking and dining restrictions would be relaxed effective immediately. This is the latest development in a series of recent updates loosening COVID-19 restrictions.

Masks are no longer required outdoors, in student residence halls or in athletic facilities during regular use. Students may go maskless in Smith Union and in the Hawthorne-Longfellow Library when they are not interacting with staff.

Students are still required to wear masks in healthcare facilities, in athletic facilities while watching an event and in all classroom spaces during scheduled classes, among other places. Dining halls are back to 100 percent capacity as of February 7, although they are still only open to students.

“We hope to open these facilities to faculty and staff very soon,” Ranen wrote.

Additionally, students who had tested positive since January 1 received an email on Thursday from Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Assistant to the Dean for Student Affairs Katie Toro-Ferrari announcing that they would not be expected to PCR test until 60 days after their initial positive test date. Previously, the guidance was to begin testing again after only 30 days.