With the university’s plans for Returning to Âé¶¹Ô´´Â approved by the Board of Trustees, it is especially incumbent on each one of us to take steps to prevent further spread of COVID-19 and make Âé¶¹Ô´´ a safer place for all of us.
Face coverings are just one of the critical prevention measures Âé¶¹Ô´´ is adopting. The coverings help contain small droplets that come out of your mouth and nose. If you have COVID-19 and are not showing symptoms, a face covering reduces your chance of spreading the infection to others. If you are healthy, a covering may protect you from those around you.
Âé¶¹Ô´´ has begun distributing one free cotton, reusable covering to those returning to Âé¶¹Ô´´. Distribution will continue throughout the summer, and additional locations will be added in the fall to accommodate the higher demand as more return to Âé¶¹Ô´´.
Face Covering Distribution
Cloth face coverings are being distributed at several locations on the main and downtown campuses, with distribution stations coming to the Rosen and Lake Nona campuses in the near future. One face covering will be assigned to each member of the Âé¶¹Ô´´ community, and a valid Âé¶¹Ô´´ ID card is required to obtain one. Students, faculty and staff may also pick up a face covering for their friends and coworkers as long as they have that person’s Âé¶¹Ô´´ ID.
A map and listing of distribution locations and operating hours are listed here.
For students:
- New students who have not yet received their Âé¶¹Ô´´ ID will receive their face covering in conjunction with distribution of their Âé¶¹Ô´´ Cards at a time to be shared later this summer.
- Âé¶¹Ô´´ Housing will provide face coverings to residential students during the move-in process that starts in August.
Âé¶¹Ô´´ has ordered a face covering for each student and faculty and staff member, and they will be available for pickup throughout the summer and at the start of the fall semester. Individuals will be responsible for acquiring another face covering in the event the one provided by Âé¶¹Ô´´ is lost or damaged.
About the Face Coverings
The Âé¶¹Ô´´-branded face coverings are made from 100 percent cotton and are washable and reusable. These face coverings are not a replacement for medical-grade PPE or the protective gear required in some laboratories.
The decision to use the Âé¶¹Ô´´-provided face covering is your own, but  requires the use of a face covering of some sort. The coverings are required to be worn in shared indoor spaces and outdoors where physical distancing is not possible.
You can also purchase other Âé¶¹Ô´´-branded face coverings from Rock ‘Em, an Orlando-based apparel company started by a former student. Part of the proceeds from the sales of these face coverings will be donated to the Âé¶¹Ô´´ Student Emergency Fund.
We encourage you to watch this video about  and visit the Returning to Âé¶¹Ô´´ website for additional FAQs about face coverings.
Other Prevention Measures
Other steps such as continued physical distancing, regular hand-washing, avoiding touching your face and staying home when you are sick are critical components in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.
The reality is that exposure to COVID-19 is possible in any public place where people are present, and personal responsibility is required to protect ourselves, our loved ones and everyone with whom we come in contact.
Additional updates will continue to be shared on , and we also encourage you to download the , another tool that will be utilized to share and gather information as we return to Âé¶¹Ô´´.
As Knights, we wear face coverings and take other COVID-19 prevention steps because we care about one another.
Let’s Armor Up, Knights, and Charge On!
For the latest information about returning to campus, visit Âé¶¹Ô´´â€™s Coronavirus and Returning to Âé¶¹Ô´´ websites. You will be required to complete the COVID Self-Checker — available via the or online — each day before arriving to campus.