Georgia Southern will see no change in plans for returning to a ‘normal’ campus this fall amidst a recent spike in Bulloch County’s COVID-19 cases and record high freshmen enrollment.

“There are no changes in our current plan to be fully open and engaged,” University President Kyle Marrero said in an email to students. “Though face masks are not required, they are encouraged while inside campus facilities.”

Masks are only required inside the Health Center and on buses around the Statesboro campus. Social distancing is no longer required.

“We are diligently preparing and ready to meet the continuing challenges of this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marrero. 

Although 8,000 doses have already been given, the university will continue to provide vaccination opportunities.  Two mass vaccination appointments are scheduled for next week, providing both Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines on August 10 for Statesboro and August 12 for Armstrong. 

With an average of 36.2 daily new cases per 100k on CovidActNow, Bulloch County is listed as ‘very high risk’, while students have yet to move back in. The delta variant has already become the dominant strain of the virus, and only a quarter of the county is fully vaccinated.

Marerro encouraged students to use The CARES Center for support, contact tracing and reporting.

While there are no changes in plans thus far the president asked that everyone remain flexible as new information comes out.