The University of Virginia is planning to lift its indoor masking requirement March 21, with a few important exceptions.

“As we make our way through another spring semester that has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing encouraging signs that the global omicron wave is subsiding and our collective efforts as a community are effective in slowing transmission of the virus,” read a mass email to the University community this week.

The message from UVA President Jim Ryan, Provost Liz Magill, Chief Operating Officer J.J. Davis, and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and UVA Health CEO Dr. K. Craig Kent said regularly tracked data, including new hospitalizations and positive COVID-19 tests, are all trending in an encouraging direction. “In light of these favorable developments, we are planning to lift the University’s indoor masking requirement, with a couple of important exceptions, effective March 21. This means that wearing a mask will be voluntary in most University-owned and -leased spaces, including office buildings, recreational facilities and venues like John Paul Jones Arena,” the announcement read.

“The exceptions to this change include classrooms, where students and faculty are often required to be in close proximity for extended periods of time, and where masks will still be required for the time being. Masks will also still be required at UVA Health facilities in accordance with their policies. Finally, [masks] will continue to be required on University Transit, in accordance with current federal requirements. If those requirements change, we will reevaluate our policy at that time.”

The leaders said if the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adjusts its guidance on public health precautions or if conditions on Grounds continue to improve, “We will evaluate additional changes to our remaining mask requirements, including our approach to masking in the classroom. Our goal has always been to impose as few restrictions on this community as needed to protect public health, and that goal will guide our decision making going forward. In that spirit, if we see an unexpected increase in cases or hospitalizations, or if another worrying variant arises, we will be ready to consider reinstating these policies or others if necessary.”

UVA selected March 21 as the date for these new guidelines to allow University faculty and students the opportunity to settle back into routines following spring break, which ends March 14.

The University said there remain many ways the community can protect against COVID-19 – precautions such as voluntarily wearing a mask, getting vaccinated and boosted, and testing and staying home when experiencing symptoms.

While research suggests that the virus poses a low threat to healthy people who are up to date on their vaccinations, “There are many people within our community and in our area who are especially vulnerable and will continue to take additional measures to keep themselves safe,” the message said.

Ryan, Magill and Davis acknowledged, “There will also be many people who simply feel more comfortable wearing their masks and practicing physical distancing. We should all continue to treat each other with kindness and respect, particularly as people make individual decisions about if or when to wear a mask.”

The message said in closing, “Nearly two years after this virus emerged and changed nearly everything about life at this university, we have finally reached a point where our medical experts are comfortable revising our mask policy in the ways we’ve described above. This milestone would not be possible without the enormous and constant effort we have all put into protecting each other on every step of this long journey as a community. We are grateful to all of you for your great and good response to this pandemic and looking forward to finishing this extraordinary year together safely and successfully.”