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Southwest returns to campus Aug. 2; face masks and health screening no longer required

By Diana Fedinec

For the first time since the Coronavirus erupted in March 2021, Southwest Tennessee Community College employees will be returning to full on-campus service Aug. 2, 2021. While some student-supported and administrative services returned in spring, faculty and staff will no longer work remotely.

Southwest’s COVID-19 Task Force made the decision to return to campus in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state and local health department and Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) guidelines. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee also advised state-funded colleges to begin fully operating on campus for the fall semester. Southwest’s fall classes begin Aug. 23.

Campus safety and health protocols will continue in place with a few notable exceptions. The online health assessment and temperature screening are no longer required for access to the college. Face masks are no longer required however they are recommended. Individuals who are not vaccinated are highly encouraged to wear a face covering and engage in social distancing.

Southwest also closed its Whitehaven Center and Gill Center vaccination sites on June 25 and May 22 respectively. A total of 38, 542 life-saving vaccinations were delivered at these locations to the citizens of Shelby County.

Southwest will continue to monitor the Coronavirus and plan accordingly. All Southwest students, employees and visitors who test positive for COVID-19 are encouraged to self-report online on the coronavirus section of the Southwest website. Please review the College's infectious disease policy and stay tuned for updates via email and on the College’s coronavirus website at www.southwest.tn.edu/coronavirus.

To read more about Shelby County Health Department’s most recent public health directives and loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, visit https://www.shelbytnhealth.com/. For information on vaccination eligibility and appointments, visit https://www.shelby.community/.