University of Hawaii to suspend COVID-19 vaccine, testing requirements

Starting Saturday, the University of Hawaii 10-campus system will suspend its mandatory vaccination rule for students and employees.

Regular testing for COVID-19 generally will no longer be required of students and employees with approved vaccine exemptions, university officials announced Wednesday. However, testing will continue in the student residence halls until the end of the semester, May 13.

Vaccinations still will be required in certain UH programs or courses embedded within partner institutions that require vaccination, such as medicine, nursing, social work, dental hygiene and allied health.

The changes are based on guidance provided by the UH COVID-19 Health and Wellbeing Working Group, a team of UH medical and public health experts, and reflect the latest COVID-19 guidance from the state and federal government, said a university statement posted online.

Other requirements UH officials announced last week that will be halted starting Saturday include:

>> Daily COVID-19 health screening via the Lumisight UH health app.

>> Face masks outdoors, including outdoor campus events.

>> Proof of vaccination or negative test results for visitors to enter campus events.

>> Campuswide notification of positive COVID-19 cases reported on a UH campus.

Face masks will still be required indoors in all UH classrooms, shared laboratories, other instructional spaces and tightly confined educational spaces until May 13. Examples of tightly confined educational spaces include advising offices and in-campus venues “when the number of attendees is close to maximum capacity, or if it is anticipated that high numbers of higher-risk persons will be attending,” the university said.

Instructors or presenters may remove their masks while teaching, provided that they maintain 6 feet distance from others.

Those returning to campus from quarantine or isolation will be required to wear masks in all settings for the remainder of the 10-day period.

“As we transition to personal responsibility for managing COVID infections and exposures, individuals are strongly urged to report their cases/exposures to their designated campus official,” the university statement said. For people filling ill, whether with COVID-19 or not, staying home to recover and prevent community spread is “strongly recommended.”

The restrictions are considered suspended because they are “subject to change depending on the status of the pandemic,” the university said. “We will continue to work with the (Health and Well­being Working Group) in monitoring the conditions in Hawaii. If needed, we will implement mitigation measures that may include vaccination or testing, expanded requirements for mask wearing, etc.”