The University of Maryland will lift testing requirements for unvaccinated individuals on March 28, according to a Wednesday email from university President Darryll Pines and University Health Center Director Spyridon Marinopoulos.
This decision, which the email said is consistent with CDC guidelines, comes days before the start of this university’s spring break.
This university also loosened its mask policy on Feb. 28, only requiring masks in classrooms, public transportation and in-patient care areas. From Feb. 28 to March 10, the positivity rate on campus, based on only university-administered tests, was 2.06 percent, and 98.3 percent of the university community has been vaccinated.
While there will be no testing requirements to return to campus, the email said, members of the campus community are advised not to return to campus following the spring break if they have COVID-19 symptoms.
[Some UMD students express concern over new mask mandates]
“Though our campus vaccination and booster rate is extremely high and case counts are dropping on campus and across the country, we urge every member of our community to remain vigilant during Spring Break,” the email read. “If you are traveling, please monitor conditions in your destination and follow CDC guidance. There may be restrictions for entry and departure.”
Individuals with symptoms are advised to take an at-home rapid antigen test before returning to campus, and return to campus only if the test is negative. If the test is positive, individuals should self-isolate, the email said.
If an individual is traveling somewhere where the COVID-19 community level is high, which is determined by the area’s COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions and how many hospital beds are being used, they should consider taking an at-home rapid antigen test before returning to campus, the email said.
Rapid antigen tests will be available free of charge at Stamp Student Union, room 1240, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 17 and 18, the email said.
