Students all across campus have been recorded properly wearing face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Western Michigan University recorded stellar results in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Mask Adherence Surveillance at Colleges and Universities Project (MASCUP).
The University joined 65 other institutions of higher education across the country to participate in the study, with assistance from public health students overseen by Drs. Robert Bensley, professor of public health, and Amy Jessop, associate professor of public health. The CDC is tracking the impact mask mandates are having on campuses, specifically how many people are wearing masks and how many are wearing them correctly—meaning covering both the nose and mouth.
According to the latest observations of mask-wearing adherence on Western’s campus (at the time of W Magazine publication), 98% of students, faculty and staff observed were wearing a mask. Of that group, nearly 97% were wearing their mask properly.
The national average of the six participating universities that launched the study from September to November 2020 was 85.5% compliance with wearing masks, 89.7% of whom were wearing them correctly.
Bensley says he’s not only pleased with the campus community’s compliance but with the team that helped Broncos get there.
“I am proud of the work our public health students have done in implementing this surveillance project. Being part of a national initiative has been a great learning experience for their professional preparation in public health.