Texas A&M has responded to Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent executive order that will lift the mask mandate and allow businesses to open to full capacity, effective March 10.
It has been almost a year since COVID-19 first emerged in Brazos County and A&M moved classes online for the remaining spring 2020 semester. Since then, there have been online and in-person classes with safety procedures in place, as well as free testing offered for students.
The University System sent a press release on March 5, stating that the university still plans to follow the COVID-19 safety guidelines set in place when campus reopened for the fall 2020 semester.
“With the end of the spring semester only 6-8 weeks away, A&M system members should continue to follow system guidance … issued in October 2020 on testing, face coverings, classes, physical distancing, occupancy limitations, co-curricular activities, among other matters,” the press release reads.
Abbott’s executive order allows for businesses and campuses to keep or dispose of any safety guidelines as they see fit. While the university still plans to keep its COVID-19 guidelines for now, A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said there will be a reassessment after the spring 2021 semester.
“At the conclusion of the spring semester, we anticipate System guidance being lifted so that all rules, procedures and practices regarding classes, travel, face coverings, testing, etc., will be determined locally at your institution informed by your conditions and reviewed by the System,” the press release reads.