In a letter from Bemidji State University President Dr. Faith Hensrud to faculty and staff, Hensrud announced that beginning Friday, March 4th, face coverings will no longer be required as a general COVID-19 mitigation measure at BSU. This extends Tuesday evening’s announcement to encompass the entire campus.

The campus announcement earlier this week was guided by recent changes to metrics used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by revised guidance from Minnesota State. While the decision to remove the mask mandate in two stages did cause confusion, Hensrud says they took the approach to address concerns from employees that were shared in the wake of the Minnesota State system’s announcement.

It’s extremely important to note that this announcement does not mean the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. With the virus still present in the community, BSU officials encourage everyone to keep taking appropriate steps to help mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19.

By — Ryan Bowler