USC will no longer require masks on most parts of campus as COVID-19 cases decline

The University of South Carolina will no longer require masks in classrooms and research spaces starting Thursday, the school’s top academic officer announced Wednesday.

“This change responds to a significant decline in COVID-19 infections on campus and in our surrounding community,” Interim Provost Stephen Cutler said in an announcement. “Richland County is currently listed as ‘Low’ for infections, with rates continuing to decline, and our own COVID-19 dashboard shows low viral transmission, high vaccination rates among our campus community and a ‘new normal’ alert level.”

The announcement follows relatively low cases after students returned to classes from Spring Break on Monday. Before the break, USC had said it was possible to go mask-optional if cases remained low after spring break. USC currently has only four active COVID-19 cases on campus, according to its online dashboard.

USC will still require masks in medical facilities, COVID-19 testing sites and in public transportation. USC encourages those who are at high-risk for a COVID-19 complication or are unvaccinated to wear a mask, Cutler’s announcement said.

USC will continue testing for COVID-19 and distributing KN-95 masks to those who need them, Cutler said.

This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 5:17 PM.