All Arizona public universities are recommending mask use as start of new school year nears

ASU, UArizona prepare to welcome back students amid new COVID-19 surge

Officials with two of the Arizona's public universities are recommending students get vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as recommending mask use, as a new school year is set to get underway. FOX 10's Jennifer Martinez reports.

PHOENIX - With COVID-19 cases rising across Arizona, many schools, including major universities, are now pushing their students to mask up.

As mask mandates are rolling out once again, some students say they don't mind wearing a mask, despite being fully vaccinated.

University of Arizona

In two weeks, the fall semester will start at the University of Arizona. While in person learning is back, masks are being recommended indoors, and vaccinations are strongly encouraged, but not required. President Robert Robbins is concerned about the delta variant of COVID-19, and says the school is doing all that it can to protect students and staff.

"For the best public health policy at a university like ours or any mass gathering is to require people to be vaccinated and cover their face and stay distant. All the things we said last year," said Robbins.

Robbins says masks and cleaning supplies will be available in every classroom, and the university will also have an isolation dorm with dozens of beds for those who test positive for the virus.

Arizona State University

Officials with ASU are recommending that students mask up indoors. This comes after Governor Doug Ducey blocked a university policy that requires unvaccinated students to mask up.

In a statement, officials with ASU say "Consistent with the Governor's executive order and new CDC guidelines, they are not making distinctions between the vaccinated and unvaccinated."

Students are reacting to ASU official's decision on mask use.

"You can't make people get vaccinated, and so if we want to have everything back in person, this is probably the safest way to do it," said Chloe Baldwin.

"I'm personally vaccinated, and if you're not, everyone should look into,and I know people don't feel comfortable with that, and if they're not, they should be fine with wearing masks and taking different measures," said Gregory Whitney.

Northern Arizona University

On its website, officials with NAU are recommending mask wearing at all indoor campus locations. Masks are also required for people at Campus Health Services, vaccination and testing sites, and onboard all buses and shuttles.