This site provides access to the most up-to-date information on Penn State's response to the coronavirus, as well as related campus-specific information.
Masking
Updated: June 3, 2022
Based on public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), six Penn State campuses will no longer require masking indoors, effective immediately.
As of Friday, June 3, face masks are no longer required to be worn indoors at the University Park, Great Valley, Lehigh Valley, New Kensington, Schuylkill and Scranton campuses, due to decreasing COVID-19 Community Levels in the counties where these campuses are located. The CDC tracks COVID-19 Community Levels on a county-by-county basis and advises that masks be worn in counties with high COVID-19 Community Levels. Individuals who wish to continue wearing face masks on these campuses are encouraged to do so.
The CDC’s county-by-county COVID-19 Community Levels are “a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data.” Levels can be low (green), medium (yellow) or high (orange), and are based on the number of new COVID-19 cases in each county as well as new hospital admissions and hospital capacity.
- Green counties: CDC recommendations call for individuals to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations and to get tested if they have symptoms of COVID-19.
- Yellow counties: The recommendations advise those who are at high risk for severe illness to talk to their healthcare provider about their individual need to wear a face mask.
- Orange counties: CDC recommends all individuals wear a mask indoors.
When Westmoreland County's CDC Community Level changes status, the campus will communicate any changes to faculty, staff and students.
Read the most recent release regarding masking published on June 3, 2022.
Vaccination Information
Penn State is strongly encouraging all students, faculty and staff to sign up to receive the first vaccine available to them.
- Employees and World Campus students can provide their vaccination status to the University using SalesForce Health Cloud, a secure online platform for collecting health data. Uploading an image of their vaccination card is optional.
- Students can upload their vaccine information now into the MyUHS portal and are encouraged to do so as soon as their vaccine series is complete.
Regardless of whether they participated in the vaccine incentive program, all students and employees are strongly encouraged to share their vaccination status with the University. Data on vaccination rates among students, faculty and staff are needed to inform the University’s decision-making and its COVID-19 mitigation plans. With this information, University officials will be able to assess vaccination rates across Penn State and modify approaches, if needed, to mitigate spread as appropriate.
KeepLearning.psu.edu: This dedicated website for students offers support for remote learning, resources for academic advising and tutoring, and contact information.
KeepTeaching.psu.edu: Course instructors visiting the site will find information on effective teaching, technology training, webinars and support as they update and teach their courses. The site also features a newly created guide for instructors specifically designed for preparing and teaching.
VirusInfo.psu.edu: Penn State’s main website with links to the latest news and answers to frequently asked questions about the University’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. The site’s resources page also contains links to dedicated resources for students and employees; information on testing, contact tracing and monitoring for the campus community; classroom and office guidance; and policies on masking and social distancing.
Penn State COVID-19 Compact: Before returning to campus, students are asked to verify that they understand the behavioral requirements and guidelines, via LionPath
