Fall 2021
The Auburn Plainsman: Welcome Back
VACCINES
9
SAFETY
Auburn University requires masks indoors, while on buses By EVAN MEALINS Editor-in-Chief TIM NAIL | COMMUNITY EDITOR
Vaccines are available at East Alabama Apothecary, part of East Alabama Health.
VACCINE LOCATIONS IN LEE COUNTY By EVAN MEALINS Editor-in-Chief
The following testing sites in Auburn, Opelika and Smiths Station offer vaccinations at no cost: Auburn University Medical Clinic, American Family Care, Auburn Pharmacy, CVS Pharmacy, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Kroger, Publix, Our Home Pharmacy, Walgreens, Oak Park Pharmacy, Winn Dixie, Lowe’s Pharmacy, East Alabama Apothecary (located within EAMC), Lee County Health Department and Thomas Pharmacy.
For at least the start of the semester, everyone will required to wear a mask indoors and on University transportation, regardless of whether you’re vaccinated. The policy went into effect on Aug. 3 and administration says it is a temporary measure. Facing another spike in local hospitalizations and positive cases of COVID-19, the University made the decision to keep the virus from spreading on campus, following the guidance set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and recommendations from University medical staff, local health officials and the Alabama Department of Public Health. There are a few caveats to the policy. Individuals are allowed to go without their masks in certain instances, including when outdoors, at open-air athletic venues, alone in individual offices, alone or with roommates in residence hall rooms, at the Campus Recre-
ation and Wellness Center and when actively eating at indoor dining facilities. Under the policy, faculty can wear face shields rather than face coverings during lectures as long as social distancing is still maintained to allow lecturers to better project their voices. If unable to wear a face covering due to a medical condition or disability, students should seek accommodations through the Office of Accessibility, and employees should seek accommodations through the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity. Exemptions based on a religious concern are handled through Auburn Cares. “Auburn students have been great about following the safety protocols we’ve asked of them for the past year and a half, and we are asking for their cooperation again as we begin the semester,” said Bobby Woodard, senior vice president for Student Affairs. “It’s important to remember that we all have the same goal, and that’s to have an incredible fall together on campus.”
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