Dear Comets:
During this past year, our focus has been first and foremost on the safety and well-being of those who work and study on our campus. Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott issued new orders rescinding the state mask mandate and occupancy limits. On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new, relaxed guidelines for those who are fully vaccinated. That number is currently less than 10% of Texas residents.
We are all anxious to get back to normal, and while the vaccine rollout provides us new hope and a clear path forward, there still remain millions of people to be vaccinated across North Texas and the nation. As such, we do not believe now is the time to relax our public health and safety guidelines. UT Dallas will continue to follow the guidance of the CDC and other public health officials throughout the spring semester. This includes:
- Wearing face coverings and social distancing in public spaces (indoors and outdoors) on campus, even after one is fully vaccinated;
- Practicing good hand hygiene;
- Completing Daily Health Checks as required; and
- Limiting campus gatherings.
Finally, the most important step you can take to protect yourself and our community is to get vaccinated as soon as you are eligible. You can check our Comets United website for vaccine registration links. Once you are vaccinated, let us know by filling out the voluntary reporting form. We are hopeful that continued vigilance and more vaccinations will let us enjoy the fall semester with in-person classes and activities and the vibrant energy we all miss.
Please check our Comets United website often for updates. Thank you in advance for adhering to these guidelines.
Stay safe and stay Comets United.
Dr. Rafael Martín
Vice President and Chief of Staff