Purdue Fort Wayne extends indoor mask rule until Jan. 31

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - Purdue University Fort Wayne extended its indoor mask requirement until Jan. 31 Monday.

The requirement applies to all students, faculty, staff and visitors inside campus buildings and structures, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, the campus said in a statement.

It said it 'œcontinues to closely monitor COVID-19 data in Allen County and across Indiana, as well as information from other official sources."

'œWith the rapid rise in cases across northeast Indiana and the recent emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, an extension of the indoor face mask requirement is a logical step that we can take to ensure that we start the spring semester with an eye toward the health and safety of all members of our university community.'ť

Individuals may remove masks when in a closed office or a walled personal workspace such as a cubicle, but should always wear a mask when around others, regardless of their vaccination status, the campus statement said. Patrons of on-campus dining are permitted to lower their masks for a reasonable amount of time to eat and drink.

The university said it will revisit the face mask requirement in January.