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COVID-19 & Vaccination Information Hornet Family. Together Again.

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COVID-19 & Vaccination Information

Are Vaccines Required at Sac State?

COVID-19 vaccines are highly recommended for all Sac State staff, faculty, and students, including students living in residence halls. A second bivalent booster is recommended for individuals 65 and older and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. Find out where you can be vaccinated. Individuals who already have a religious or medical exemption from the University do not need to reapply. Individuals can update their COVID self-certification whenever their status changes.

Being fully vaccinated/boosted remains the single most effective way to avoid serious illness from COVID-19. You can visit My Turn California or Sacramento County's Department of Health Services site to schedule a free vaccination near you. Information about booster eligibility can be found on the CDC website.

Student Health and Counseling no longer provides vaccinations/boosters.

Are face coverings required?

Face coverings are recommended, but not required indoors or outdoors on campus, with limited exceptions. In the Health Center, face coverings are required for anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.

COVID-19 Testing

We have discontinued the twice-weekly surveillance testing program. We instead are focused on testing symptomatic individuals (see below) and encouraging students and employees to report positive cases. All faculty, staff, and students must test if they are symptomatic, and all positive tests must continue to be reported to the University.

We are no longer offering voluntary test kits. For more information about how to obtain a test off campus, go to the Sacramento County Public Health website. Tests also can be obtained at numerous retail outlets.

Students experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms should contact Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) at the WELL online or by calling 916-278-6461. Symptomatic students should contact SHCS for a telehealth appointment before visiting health services on campus.

Students who are symptomatic or test positive are required to report their positive test via the student health services reporting link. SHCS will provide guidance to students. Faculty should continue to be fair and flexible with students who miss class due to illness.

What If I've Been Exposed to Someone Who Tests Positive for COVID-19?

Per state law, employees will continue to be notified of close exposure to a person testing positive in the workplace, and test kits will be made available in these instances. Individuals who receive a notification of possible exposure should read the notification carefully and ensure that they follow the instructions and guidance.

If you are fully vaccinated, received a booster, or are vaccinated but not yet eligible for a booster, and are asymptomatic, you do not need to self-quarantine after an exposure to COVID-19. Faculty and staff may come to work and students may attend class.

However, the CDC recommends that you continue to wear a mask for 10 days after a close exposure. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, contact your doctor immediately to be tested and self-quarantine until you receive your results. If you test positive, follow Isolation and Quarantine Recommendations for the general public from the California Department of Public Health.

If you are unvaccinated and have been exposed to a COVID-positive individual, you should self-isolate and be tested.

For more information, please visit the California Department of Public Health website.

Please follow these steps if you have been exposed.

What Should I Do if I Test Positive for COVID-19?

For students:
If a student’s test indicates a positive result for COVID-19, they should report the positive test to Student Health using the Student COVID-19 Report Form on the Information for Students web page or on the Student Health and Counseling Services web page. Instructions are provided to Students on the report form.

We will continue to offer free testing to students who are symptomatic through Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) at the WELL. Students who are symptomatic or test positive are required to report their positive test via the student health services reporting link. SHCS will provide guidance to students.

For employees:

Employees must inform their appropriate administrator/MPP of their positive test result immediately and file an official confidential report for staff and faculty with Risk Management. Risk Management provides detailed information on next steps for all employees who test positive for COVID-19. Asymptomatic employees should work with their administrator/MPP to establish an informal, temporary telework arrangement if possible. However, employees should take time to recover and heal if they are not feeling well.

What do I do before returning to work after testing positive?

Cal/OSHA provides these guidelines:

  • Employees who test positive should isolate at home for three to five days from the onset of symptoms.
  • Employees who are asymptomatic or whose symptoms are resolving, and whose test on day five is negative may return to work.
  • Employees who are unable or choose not to test, and are asymptomatic or with symptoms that are resolving, may return to the workplace after day 10.

More information for employees who have tested positive.

How Do I Report a Positive COVID Test?

If you, or someone you know, tested positive for COVID-19, the individual must complete the appropriate form below as soon as possible.

Form for Students (in your Student Center)

Form for Staff or Faculty Members

The form will be forwarded to campus health officials and they will contact the individual directly with additional follow up and instructions. If a high-risk situation is identified, then other individuals who may need to take additional action will also be contacted.

For staff and faculty, reports are handled through Environmental Health & Safety. Student reports are facilitated by Student Health & Counseling.

What guidelines must student housing residents follow?

Information for student housing residents can be found on Student Affairs web pages.

What if I Have Additional Questions?