George Mason University is entirely free of COVID-19 for the first time since the global pandemic began.
University officials announced on Thursday afternoon that there are no cases whatsoever among its more than 50,000 students, faculty and staff for the first time since it began daily tracking of the coronavirus.
“This could change tomorrow,” said Paul Allvin, Mason’s vice president of strategic communications and marketing, “but, for today, Mason is COVID-free. Life is good.”
Mason has long ranked among the nation’s shining examples of COVID management with a daily Mason COVID Health√® system that helps the school closely monitor the virus’ spread to avoid any large outbreaks. The online screening tool that began last fall must be completed seven days a week by students, faculty, staff and contractors.
University researchers led by Lance Liotta, the co-founder and co-director of Mason’s Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine within the College of Science, led the charge this spring to expand COVID testing to roughly 10,000 campus community members per week. Mason students began receiving vaccination shots in late April.
Mason began its vaccination clinics in early February, partnering with Fairfax and Prince William Counties. The clinics are now responsible for putting nearly 90,000 shots in people’s arms in the university and surrounding communities, said Julie Zobel, Mason’s associate vice president for safety, emergency and enterprise risk management.