University at Buffalo requiring masks be worn indoors regardless of vaccination status

The University at Buffalo will require all students, employees and visitors wear masks while inside campus buildings, regardless of vaccination status, starting Tuesday, August 3rd.

}} (00:00) (00:09) (1:01)THE 2021 FALL SEMESTER... SUNYSCHOOLS WILL MAKE A FULLRETURN TO CLASS... AS COVIDCASES ARE ON THE RISE ACROSSNEW YORK.

JIM: WE HAVE TO MAKESURE THAT WE CAN GO BACK TOOUR CAMPUSES, 100% FULLYREOPEN, AND THE WAY TO DO THATIS TO GET THE VACCINATION.SUNY SCHOOLS WILL REQUIRE ALLSTUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFFHAVE THE COVID-19 VACCINE ONCEIT'S FULLY APPROVED BY THEF-D-A.

SUNY CHANCELLOR JIMMALATRAS SAYS SO FAR... ITSEEMS MAJORITY OF STUDENTSHAVE TAKEN THE SHOT.

JIM: IN ARECENT SURVEY OF ABOUT 35,000STUDENTS, 72% AT LEAST GOTTHEIR FIRST SHOT.

THAT'S GOODNEWS, BUT THAT'S NOT EQUALLYDISTRIBUTED ACROSS OUR SYSTEM.SOME CAMPUSES IT'S 40%.

SOMECAMPUSES IT'S 90%.

OUR GOAL ISTO GET EVERYONE CLOSE TO 100%.BUT AS CONCERN OVER THE DELTAVARIANT GROWS... SUNY SCHOOLSHAVE A PLAN ON STANDBY.

JIM:IF IT'S MARCH OF 2020 AGAINWHERE COVID IS INCREASINGRAPIDLY, WE MAY HAVE TO GOFULLY REMOTE LIKE WE DID...BUT WE HOPE NOT TO GET THERE.THAT'S THE LAST THING WE WANTTO DO.

WE'RE READY FOR IT.

WECAN PIVOT AT A MOMENTS NOTICE.STAND UP: AND HE SAYS THEY'LLBE REVISITING IF MASKS WILL BEREQUIRED AT THE START OF THESEMESTER IN THE FALL.

JIM: OURCAMPUSES HAVE THE ABILITYUNDER THEIR OWN GUIDELINES TODO MORE FOR MASKING IF THEYWANT TO, IF THEY FEEL THECOMMUNITY NEEDS THAT.

WE'RETALKING THROUGH RIGHT NOWWHETHER THOSE COMMUNITIES THATARE IN THE HIGH RISK ZONES BYTHE CDC SHOULD BE DOING MOREMASKING.

MANY OF OUR CAMPUSESARE MOVING THAT DIRECTION SOWE'LL KNOW MORE THIS WEEK ONWHERE WE LAND ON THAT.

THEULTIMATE GOAL IS WE WANT TO CUTTHAT DELTA VARIANT OFF AT THEHEAD.

I THINK MASKING COULDHELP BUT VACCINATING IS THEULTIMATE GOAL.

SO IN THEMEANTIME... SUNY ISENCOURAGING ALL STUDENTS TAKETHE VACCINE... SAYING THERE'SCONSEQUENCES IF NOT.

JIM: IFYOU ARE UNVACCINATED YOU AREGOING TO BE SUBJECT TO MORERESTRICTIONS THAN IF YOU AREVACCINATED.

RIGHT NOW, YOUSTILL HAVE TO WEAR MASKS.YOU'RE SUBJECT TO WEEKLYTESTING, AND YOU MAY NOT BEABLE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.

YOUMAY BE RESTRICTED FROM ONCAMPUS RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES.YOU MAY BE RESTRICTED FROMPARTICIPATING INEXTRACIRRICULAR ACTIIVITIES.OP7EWN.THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HASRELEASED A GUIDE FOR P