JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — As students prepare to return to class for the new semester, East Tennessee State University is requiring them to wear masks.
Officials said face coverings will be required inside of buildings on campus starting Wednesday, Aug. 4. The policy applies to everyone regardless of vaccination status, officials said.
The new policy was a response to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the region. They also said that the local hospital system is nearing capacity, according to a release from officials.
ETSU officials said they hope the new mask requirement will be temporary and urged people to get vaccinated for COVID-19. They said that it is the best option for preventing serious illness and deaths.
Information about free opportunities to get vaccinated is available online, at vaccines.gov.
The University of Tennessee also announced that it would require the campus community to wear masks in some areas of campus including classrooms and laboratories, as cases of COVID-19 continued rising in Knox County.