After being canceled last year because of COVID-19, the Get the Red Out event was held on Sept. 2 near Walton Stadium. Get the Red Out is an annual fair event where clubs and organizations get to connect with the community and students of the university.

  “This is actually my first time attending the event,” junior criminal justice major Michaela Hines said. “I haven’t been involved as much as I would like, and I wanted to be involved before I end up leaving.”

  Although Get the Red Out is back, COVID-19 is still here. There were a minimum of 2,000 COVID-19 cases per day in Missouri according to the New York Times.

  “I am fine with it either way,” Hines said. “Not everybody cares so much about it. Some still don’t believe in it. There will be people who wear masks and people who won’t care.” 

  UCM policy states “face coverings will be required indoors, in all university buildings, regardless of vaccination status.” However, the university does not have an outdoor mask mandate.

  “When it comes to business and events, that right [to enforce mandate mask policies] should be reserved for the organizer of the event,” Carter Woolverton, a freshman drafting and design technologies major, said. 

  In regards to COVID-19, not everyone shares the same belief. Although most people at the event weren’t wearing masks, there were some visitors who were. Woolverton believes one of the causes could be because of inconsistency with COVID-19. 

  “There’s consistency with the virus, but the inconsistency about it is how hard it hits,” Woolverton said. “It’s not going to affect everybody the same.”

  Senior graphic design major Makayla Fuemmeler said she trusts the university is taking the appropriate actions in response to COVID-19. 

  “I feel like there is enough space around and everyone is pretty conscious of who they came with so right now, it’s okay,” Fuemmeler said. “I am worried about the cases rising again. However, I do believe the college is doing what’s in their power to help against cases rising on campus.”