Protect yourself and others, keep masking

On Friday, Feb.11, President Cruzado announced that MUS commissioner of higher education, Clayton T. Christian, directed the campuses of Montana University System to relax the COVID-19 protocols on MUS campuses and, as a result, MSU would lift the campus indoor mask mandate. While COVID-19 cases are decreasing, they have not reached a level low enough to leave restrictions in the past. In order to maintain a campus and county that will no longer suffer from COVID-19, we need to continue to wear masks, with or without a mandate.

What comes naturally to college students is socializing and having fun; acting based on what will give us pleasure. As young adults we want to be where we can laugh, dance and kiss whoever we want to without thinking about consequences. But in the state of our community for the past two years, we can see the consequences of our actions layed out for us in daily statistics. People in the 18-29 year old age group make up one of the highest portions of COVID-19 cases in Gallatin County, according to the health department. This age range is the general age of college students. These consequences extend beyond ourselves as young, healthy people and contribute to the pandemic. 

When the finish line is in sight, we shouldn’t stop moving or turn back, we push ourselves past the discomfort and frustration until we are home free. With mask mandates and an increase in vaccinations, SARS-CoV-2 can become a controllable virus that no longer controls us. Our county will never cross the finish line into safety and freedom if we choose to stop moving. When we lift restrictions as soon as we see a slight decrease in cases, we run the risk of playing a game of hot and cold with this virus, leaving room for cases to rise once again. Cases decreasing is a sign that what we have been doing is working. Keeping mask mandates when cases are low is the fastest way to claim power and control over a deadly virus that has afflicted a population for two years.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of the press time, Gallatin County remains in a state of high transmission of COVID 19. The CDC and county health department recommend that residents, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in public indoor settings. We should listen to the wisdom of those who are professionals in their field, and respect the health of others.

Maintaining a mask mandate on campus is not a decision that is up to students, but prioritizing the health and safety of ourselves and others is something we can all do. Our future is in our hands, and we can choose to create an atmosphere that places looking out for one another over convenience, and prioritizes doing what is right over doing what is easy. Continuing to wear masks and choosing to contribute to the decrease in COVID-19 cases will guarantee that we cross the finish line. 

For the students and faculty who desire to wear facemasks, the university will provide a more protective mask - KN95 masks, free of charge for the Spring semester. According to MSU President’s message “up to two masks at a time can be picked up at the Plew Building at the corner of Grant Street and Sixth Avenue.”

MSU is offering COVID-19 testing to the students free of charge at the student testing center located near the Bobcat stadium. Students can use MSU Coronavirus Self-Checker on MSU’s website to determine whether they should get a test and where to go to receive one. At-home test kits are available for MSU students at the Ask Us Information Desk in the SUB.