COLUMBIA, Mo. – The temporary mask mandate put in place at the beginning of the semester on University of Missouri campuses will expire, effective Oct. 16. In the future, masks will no longer be required, but keeping in line with CDC recommendations, UM officials will request that all individuals wear masks in all indoor spaces – especially when social distancing is not possible.
All UM campuses will comply with local public health policies.
Currently, indoor mask mandates are in place in St. Louis and Kansas City. Boone and Phelps counties recommend indoor masking.
“The temporary indoor mask mandate that was enacted in July and extended in September helped us avoid a potential spike in cases at the beginning of the semester and relieved pressure on local hospitals,” said Mun Choi, president of the University of Missouri. “The requirements were never intended to be a permanent policy. Moving forward, we believe vaccination, personal responsibility and continued vigilance from our campus community will help guide us through this stage of the pandemic.”