LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is extending its mask mandate as virus cases soar across the state, and all returning students and faculty will be required to take a COVID-19 test at the start of the spring semester. 

Masks will be required indoors throughout the university’s campuses, including at sporting events.

 UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green said the mask mandate is needed because of the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant of the virus. 

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has more than doubled over the past two weeks from 744.29 new cases per day on Dec. 20 to 1,734.86 new cases per day on Monday.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is extending its mask mandate as virus cases soar across the state, and all returning students and faculty will be required to take a COVID-19 test at the start of the spring semester. Masks will be required indoors throughout the university’s campuses, including at sporting events. UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green said the mask mandate is needed because of the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant of the virus. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has more than doubled over the past two weeks from 744.29 new cases per day on Dec. 20 to 1,734.86 new cases per day on Monday.

UNL to require masks, COVID-19 tests for returning students