It seems that maskless walks around campus will become a distant memory as new coronavirus variants that are far more transmissible than the originally discovered COVID-19 strain continue to pay us a visit.
It is long overdue for San Jose State to tighten its mask policy in order to better protect the campus community, especially when some campus faculty members are expected to return Feb. 15.
The university's inability to act could harm the campus community. According to SJSU Health Advisories, 29 students living on campus have contracted COVID-19 since March 2020.
Masks are required to be worn by all students, faculty and staff on campus at all times when indoors, outdoors and when social distancing is not possible, according to the SJSU Adapt Plan.
On Jan 25, Stanford University researchers reported two new COVID-19 variants, originating from the UK and Brazil, have spread across the Bay Area, according to a Los Angeles Times article from Tuesday.
More precise mask policies on campus would be a wise decision as SJSU must be proactive in adjusting to the pandemic. The threat of the new variants is far too great to neglect implementing stricter mask guidelines.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has encouraged various mitigation strategies to deal with the new strains.
Former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden shared in a Jan. 25 tweet, it’s a good decision to invest in higher quality masks.
“Consider upgrading from a cloth mask to a surgical mask, or from a surgical mask to an N95/KN95/equivalent if available,” he tweeted. “Better masks may help reduce risk from more-contagious strains.”
Institutions including the CDC have highlighted the importance of layering masks for their efficacy in providing protection from COVID-19.
Because of the threat of more transmissible coronavirus variants, some masks are simply not as effective as others. For the safety of all those who step foot on campus, it’s crucial that SJSU health leaders revise the list of acceptable and non-acceptable mask varieties.
It is not enough for SJSU to give advice on mask care and how to properly wear masks while not taking into account what material homemade masks are made from. A student could theoretically come to campus with a mesh mask and be within the university’s guidelines–this is simply unacceptable.
In a 2020 study published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, researchers found there were discrepancies among homemade and purchasable masks, especially in regards to the material used.
Out of all the masks tested, a KN95 Jinjiang mask protected a wearer the most. This was followed by N95 masks and then surgical masks.
When it came to homemade masks, the ones made out of pillowcases were less effective than those constructed from a wool scarf.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Medical clinic said in a blog post that single-layered neck gaiters are not as effective as multi-layered cloth masks. A face-hugging N-95 mask will always protect the wearer from particles better than cloth masks.
It is true that any mask is better than no mask and our campus community may have to jump across hurdles to satisfy the proposed policy changes, but we must be better protected by officials enforcing stricter mask guidelines as the virus evolves.
If a student chooses to continue wearing a neck gaiter, they could easily fold the sleeve to create additional layers of protection that block 90% of particles measured, according to MIT Medical.
But even so, it’s important that SJSU makes a clear distinction as to what it expects for masks, whether it be the type of material or the number of layers a mask has.
While it’s almost impossible to actually police students on mask preferences, I have hope that enough students would take university implementations seriously and the number of students who comply with new guidelines outweigh the number of students who don’t.
If students don’t have thick masks that effectively keep themselves and others safe, they could look to national leaders, such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, and wear two masks instead of one.
It’s safe to say that almost everyone hates wearing a mask, but in order for people to stay healthy as the virus continues to mutate, a more aggressive mask policy must be put in place at SJSU.
