Face Coverings

Face masks are optional in all indoor and outdoor spaces with three exceptions.

Face mask may be required:

  1. At the discretion of instructors.
  2. At the discretion of a primary office occupant or meeting host.
  3. When required by the CDC (External Site).

COVID-19 2023 – 2024 Vaccination Requirements

This section describes the University of Maine System’s (UMS) 2023 – 2024 academic year COVID-19 vaccination requirement for students, employees, and visitors. These requirements may be revised as needed to comply with federal, state, and public health guidelines. 

Students, Employees, & Visitors:

Effective with the May 2023 term and going forward, the University strongly encourages all students, employees, and visitors to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination and booster shots when eligible.  COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are recommended to prevent severe cases of COVID-19.

Important:

  • Participation in certain programs may require vaccination against COVID-19 due to requirements of third-party locations, such as student placement sites.
  • Students and employees are strongly encouraged to upload proof of their COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters to the UMS COVID-19 Portal (External Site).

How to Submit Proof of Vaccination:

Students and employees are encouraged to submit proof of their COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.

To upload proof of your vaccination series, please refer to the UMS COVID-19 Portal (External Site).

Important:

  • All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to upload all COVID-19 vaccination doses, including boosters.
  • Students, employees & visitors should follow CDC isolation and exposure recommendations. Reference: CDC Isolation & Exposure Guidelines (External Site)
  • Students in a higher risk category, or with severe illness or underlying health conditions or other applicable circumstances who may need disability accommodations should contact the disability or accessibility services office on their campus.
  • Employees in a higher risk category, or with severe illness or underlying health conditions or other applicable circumstances may contact the University of Maine System Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator at 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754; 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System); or adacoordinator@maine.edu.

Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster?

You can locate vaccine sites near you in a variety of ways:

Quarantine, Isolation and Support Services

For a current summary of exposure and isolation requirements, please refer to the CDC Isolation & Exposure Guidelines (External Site).

The University strongly encourages students and employees to receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses when eligible to prevent the severity of the disease.

Prepare Ahead:

To determine how long you need to isolate, quarantine, or take other steps to prevent spreading COVID-19, please refer to the CDC’s ‘Isolation and Exposure Calculator’ found on the CDC Isolation & Exposure Guidelines (External Site) page.

Students need to be prepared independently to know and follow public health guidance as it applies to their own situation; to alert their own close contacts in the event the University cannot or does not do so; and, to have a plan ready in advance to quarantine or isolate in non-university locations, as many already do, if the University is unable to accommodate their need.

Additional Prevention Efforts:

In addition to obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination and staying up-to-date with booster doses, individuals can also prevent severe illness and spread by:

Additional prevention resources can be found on the CDC – How to Protect Yourself and Others (External Site).

Last Reviewed: August 2023