Clearing the mask mandate confusion

So far, 2022 has been a good year for lifting Covid-19-induced regulations. Our borders are back open, our nightclubs are pumping again and, for the most part, our vaccine mandates are no more. However, there is one restriction that still just won't budge.

Mask mandates have been in place since the very beginning, and are now one of the only public reminders that the pandemic is still happening. In the orange traffic light level, face masks are mandatory inside any public facilities including university campuses and communal areas within a hall of residence; however there still seems to be some confusion around where masks are actually required.

“A face mask must be worn in all parts of the university, unless there is an exception or exemption including for teaching, research, and all other activities when in communal areas or moving through workspaces” says Massey Communications Advisor, Paul Duffin.

“Staff must wear a medical grade mask, three layered fabric or higher quality. We recommend and encourage all students to also use medical-grade masks.”

For the many students that still harbour confusion about their need to wear a mask in certain situations, there are some exemptions to be aware of.

“Teaching or research staff may remove their mask if they can maintain at least a two-meter distance from their class, team or audience while presenting,” Paul says.

“Staff and students are not required to wear a mask when exercising at the Rec Centre, or in student accommodation bedrooms.”

The University has made an effort to make the mask mandates clear to students, by having “visual reminders (posters) on campus and social media reminding students about mask use and physical distancing”.

Additionally, “Any time there are changes to the Protection Framework that would impact the university and students, we have contacted them directly by email. In the emails we let them know of the changes occurring, what it means to them, and link the Massey University Operating Plan and Covid-19 pages of our website,” Paul says.

For students that may still find themselves in a space on campus or in a hall of residence feeling unsure about whether the mask mandate applies, there are many places you can go to seek clarification.

All Massey staff have been advised about masking protocols, and will happily provide information to anybody that needs it. The Massey website also provides a bounty of information about where and when mask mandates are applicable, as well as having posters pinned up literally everywhere.

If, however, after exhausting all of these aforementioned resources, you still find yourself questioning the need to mask up or not, just assume the answer is yes. At the end of the day, it is all about protecting ourselves and our community, right?

“Wearing a mask all day is horrible and I definitely cannot wait for the restrictions to be lifted, but it is what it is. If wearing a thin sheet over your face is what we have to do to save lives, then why wouldn’t we?” says Claire Saunders, Massey graduate student.

“Wearing masks in public areas has become a part of daily life for all New Zealanders and many other countries worldwide. If students have any issues or concerns, we have encouraged them to speak with our staff. Many students have also had the option of studying online throughout the pandemic too, when restrictions meant in-person teaching could not take place,” says Paul Duffin.

So, there we have it. At the moment the mask mandates are still a thing for uni students studying on-campus, or living in a hall of residence. It is likely that in the not-so-distant future, this mandate will be eased as well, but for now we will all have to hold on until the traffic light turns green.