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Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the decision to reinstall the indoor mask mandate is simply a response to a trend.
Executive Director for Public Health and Wellbeing Ashlee Halbritter also said that Penn is preparing an isolation housing portfolio expansion by using additional University-owned properties and apartments.
The reinstatement of the mandate will take effect on April 18 to give businesses a one-week “educational period” to adjust. Penn has not yet announced plans to reintroduce indoor masking.
Officials from the Philadelphia Department of Health have said that the city's COVID-19 response level could move from Level 1 to 2 if cases continue to rise.
The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke with 12 Penn community members and University leaders about the challenges that Penn currently faces under his leadership.
Philadelphia Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said that while not required, the department of health recommends residents wear masks indoors and in public spaces.
The event featured researcher Eugenio Proto, a professor of applied economics and econometrics at the University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School.
Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé told The Daily Pennsylvanian that contact tracing efforts show that transmission remains heavily associated with social gatherings, such as formals, galas, and parties.
Administrators wrote that the COVID-19 Dashboard reflects that “transmission remains primarily associated with social gatherings,” such as formals and galas.
Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the decision was implemented following consultations with “student and faculty stakeholders on campus.”
While some students are excited about a return to normalcy, other students still have concerns for at-risk populations who are much more vulnerable to infection.
The department double-counted thousands of records on the city’s COVID-19 dashboard in a failure to discern the doses, resulting in a raw number significantly higher than the actual pediatric vaccination rate.
Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé told the DP that the University is working in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia to determine whether it is safe to reverse the mask mandate.
Effective immediately, masks are no longer required indoors, with exceptions for the “higher-risk” settings of schools, healthcare institutions, congregate settings, and public transportation.
Pennsylvania’s average new daily case count this week was the lowest it has been since August, and its hospitalization rate the lowest since September.
Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the incentives were created to encourage "good behaviors and smart choices" and to further foster a "community of care."