Health Department lifts mask mandate May 15; Southwest ends health assessment requirement May 31

By Diana Fedinec

Southwest Tennessee Community College will no longer require campus visitors to take an online health assessment beginning June 1. The requirement ends two weeks after May 15 when the Shelby County Health Department Health Directive No. 21 relaxed many restrictions associated with the mask mandate. The College also lifted its face covering requirement on May 15.

The health assessment requirement was established as part of the College’s safety protocols when the Coronavirus surfaced in March 2020. In addition to eliminating the health assessment, the College will no longer screen campus visitors for elevated body temperatures.

The updated safety stance aligns with local and state health agencies and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines as more Americans get fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Further ramping up vaccinations nationwide, the Food and Drug Administration also has authorized the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to children ages 12-15 who are accompanied by a parent. City officials expect to gain state approval to distribute the vaccine to this age group beginning May 13.

Southwest continues to strongly advise students and employees to continue to practice social distancing and wash hands frequently to lessen the risk of the spread of infection. 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. The form only takes a few minutes to complete and all information will be kept strictly confidential.

The College will continue to monitor the pandemic and consult with CDC and local health officials to ensure the safety and health of its students and employees. For information about the Coronavirus, visit the Shelby County Health Department website and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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.