August 19th, 2021 by WCBC Radio

West Virginia University will begin fall semester classes began this week with a mask mandate. WVU announced that for the next 30 days “masks will be required for all those in classrooms, teaching and research labs on all campuses – regardless of vaccination status.” WVU Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Rob Alsop said the university’s leadership team made the move after considering the growth of the Delta variant in the state, the move toward vaccination boosters and the lack of participation by students, faculty and staff in the university’s vaccination verification program. While setting a goal of 80% vaccination rates- the numbers are well below that across the system- the lowest being at the Potomac State Keyser campus with just 62% of staff and faculty covered; and just over 34% of students.