The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced yesterday that students will no longer be required to wear masks on campus beginning Mar 12, when the university begins spring break.
University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson said more than 95% of Madison's student body is fully vaccinated, and cases across the state have dropped significantly in recent weeks.
"The research strongly suggests that individuals who are vaccinated, boosted, and wearing a high-quality mask have a high degree of protection, regardless of what other individuals around them may choose," the school said in a statement. "That means we're at a point where responsible behavior is up to the individual to decide. "
The student body government said it opposed this decisions, wanting mask requirements to remain in place until the end of spring semester.
Purdue University in Indiana also announced that masks will be optional in indoor spaces, including sports venues, beginning tomorrow.
Texas challenges travel requirements
Across the country, states, universities, and businesses are attempting to piece together a new framework for living with COVID-19 as cases drop dramatically from January highs.
In the nine-state Northeast region, the 7-day death average is down about 51% from the late-January peak, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Johns Hopkins data. But 15 states have seen at least a 10% increase in deaths over the last week, ABC News reports.
The United States reported 136,488 new COVID-19 cases yesterday and 3,083 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 tracker.
Yesterday, the attorney general of Texas sued to strike down the Biden administration's mandate requiring travelers to wear masks at airports and on airplanes and commuter bus and rail systems, the New York Times reports.
The current federal mandate is in place until Mar 18 for all travelers ages 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID Data Tracker shows that 64.5% of Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, 76% have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 43% of fully vaccinated Americans have received a booster dose.
Asia still experiencing Omicron surge
- Parts of Asia experiencing Omicron-led surges reported new record daily cases over the past day, including South Korea, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, where news reports show patients in beds outside of hospitals waiting to be admitted and say city officials are considering mass testing.
- More countries that are past their Omicron peaks have announced plans to ease restrictions, including Portugal and Israel, which is dropping its "green pass" needed to show proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 to enter some public places.
- Germany-based BioNTech yesterday unveiled module container labs to allow mRNA vaccine to be made in Africa, part of an effort to boost international COVID-19 vaccine supply. The bulk product would be made in the labs, and local companies would handle fill-and-finish steps. The first is set to arrive in Africa in the last half of the year, with shipments to Rwanda, Senegal, and possibly, South Africa.
- The World Health Organization today released interim guidance on contact tracing and quarantine for settings in which Omicron activity is high. It says policies may need to be adjusted in places where essential services are under pressure (for example, shortening quarantine to 10 days without a test and 7 days with a negative test if asymptomatic). It added that modifications will increase the risk of onward transmission and should be weighed against healthcare capacity and other considerations.
- Health Canada today approved Novavax's recombinant, adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine for use in people ages 18 and older, the company said today. Last month, Novavax and Canada signed an advance purchase agreement for 52 million doses, with the option for another 24 million doses.
- The global totals today climbed to 419,038,393 cases and 5,857,142 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins online dashboard.
CIDRAP News Editor Lisa Schnirring contributed to this story.
