EAST LANSING— Michigan State University will begin lifting its enhanced physical distance order starting on Feb. 28.

The university will be lifting the enhanced restrictions on Sunday, according to an email that students received from Vice President of Student Affairs, Vennie Gore. This is a result of students being able to keep the positivity rate to less than 1% in the last week. The order has been lifted in phases since Feb.12 after being put in place on Jan. 31. 

While the enhanced restrictions will be gradually lifted, students are still expected to follow all local health orders and ordinances, including the city of East Lansing’s emergency ordinance. This ordinance includes limiting the number of people gathering together indoors and outdoors, practicing social distancing, and wearing face masks within the boundaries of the East Lansing Downtown Development Authority, including public outdoor spaces.

Failing to adhere to these orders is a violation of the MSU Community Compact, which can lead to a civil infraction and a $500 penalty for each person involved. 

This restrictions lift comes right before the university’s break days on Mar. 2 and Mar. 3. The university cancelled Spring Break this semester, instead opting to give students a 2-day midweek break in March and to end the semester on April 22-23.

The break days are meant to help students rest, and faculty are asked not to assign any work during that time. Furthermore, students are encouraged to join the festivities at the university-sponsored “Winter Fest.”

While students are discouraged from traveling out of East Lansing during the break, if they do, they are required to submit a saliva sample within 24 hours of their return to campus and should self-quarantine until they have a clear test result.