Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia is reinstating face masks on campus as COVID cases and hospitalizations rise.
Morris Brown made the surprise announcement on Sunday in a letter to faculty, staff and students. The letter cited the rise in positive COVID-19 cases among students in the Atlanta University Center, the AJC reported.
Morris Brown President Kevin James told AJC.com the mask mandate is a “precautionary measure.” He said there are no reports of positive COVID cases on the Morris Brown campus.
The Atlanta University Center consists of four historically Black colleges and universities on Atlanta’s southwest side, including Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and the Morehouse School of Medicine.
Morehouse’s website stated the prevalence of COVID cases on campus is “minimal”.
Thousands of students returned to HBCU campuses in Atlanta on Wednesday.
The news comes as multiple Beyonce fans tested positive for the COVID virus after attending her Renaissance concerts at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 11 and 12.
The “Eris” variant is now the most common COVID virus in the U.S., accounting for 17% of hospital cases.
Eris has also been detected in more than 50 countries, according to Newsweek.
