Updated: July 24, 2020 4:38 PM

Loyola announced that it will once again require masks indoors on campus regardless of vaccination status starting today, July 22, in an email from Alicia Bourque, chief student affairs officer. This announcement comes just one month ahead of the start of the fall semester.

Bourque originally announced that masks would be required everywhere on campus, but corrected her statement in a subsequent email. Bourque said the mask mandate “does not apply to outdoors,” and “we are several weeks away from the start of the fall semester.”

The email cited the new mask advisory announced by City of New Orleans yesterday, as well as surging COVID-19 cases in the area as a result of the highly contagious Delta variant and breakthrough cases occurring in the vaccinated as reasons for bringing the mask requirement back.

“We are heeding the city’s public health guidance to care for our community – and others,” Bourque said.

The mask mandate will be in place on campus for the “foreseeable future,” according to the email.

Bourque noted that, although this may seem like a setback, Loyola students, faculty and staff can continue to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by getting the vaccine, following CDC guidelines, masking, social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings.

“We have come so far as a community. Let’s continue our stellar work and stay safe as we prepare for the start of the fall semester,” Bourque said.