The University of Hawaii is suspending the COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements beginning March 26

The University of Hawaiʻi’s 10-campus system is indefinitely suspending UH’s mandatory COVID-19 immunization guidelines for students and staff effective March 26, 2022. Regular testing for COVID-19 is no longer required of students and staff with approved vaccine exemptions.

According to UH, testing in the student dormitories will continue until the end of the semester. An earlier message to the 10 campus system informed students, faculty and staff of the policy updates.

“UH officials have made the decision to suspend the guidelines based on guidance from the UH COVID-19 Health and Wellbeing Working Group, a team of UH medical and public health experts,” said a UH Officials, leading the team, signed emails with representatives from the 10 campuses led by UH President David Lassner. He said the move reflects the latest state and federal government COVID-19 guidelines.

The updated UH-COVID-19 guidelines are effective March 26th

The latest update to the UH-COVID-19 guidelines also comes into effect on March 26 and includes the following requirements:

• Face masks in classrooms, shared labs, other classrooms, and confined educational spaces such as classrooms. B. Counseling offices and campus venues when the number of participants is close to maximum capacity or when it is expected that a large number of higher risk individuals will be in attendance (required by May 13, late spring semester 2022) . Instructors or presenters may remove their masks during class provided they maintain a 6ft distance from others.
  • Campus officials may designate additional areas where face masks are required to increase security.
• For those returning to campus after quarantine or isolation, face masks must be worn in all settings for the remainder of the 10-day period.
• If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home and isolate for at least 5 days (until you have been fever-free for 24 hours without antipyretics and your symptoms improve).
• Full or current immunization for staff and students in specific UH programs or courses (e.g., medicine, nursing, social work, dental hygiene, related health, etc.) when embedded at partner facilities that require immunizations. Officials will determine which programs may require student, faculty or patient immunization status.

No longer needed

The following will no longer be required as of March 26:

• Daily COVID-19 health screening via LumiSight UH health app.
• Indoor face masks (except as noted above)
• Outdoor face masks, including outdoor campus events.
• Visitors who provide proof of vaccination or negative test results to gain access to campus events.
• Upload negative tests for students and staff with approved vaccination exemptions.
• Campus-wide notification of positive COVID-19 cases reported on a UH campus

“As we move to personal responsibility for managing COVID-19 infections and exposures, individuals are strongly encouraged to report their cases/exposures to their designated campus officer,” the email reads.

UH COVID-19 policies and related policies are subject to change based on the status of the pandemic.