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September 29, 2021

In Case You Missed It

Exposure and Contact Tracing Efforts

Updated instructions have been added to the Exposure and Contact Tracing webpage. This includes guidelines if you receive notice that you are a confirmed close contact, as well as what to do and who to contact—these instructions differ based on vaccination status as well as whether you are a campus employee or student. Please review closely as needed.

Key terms

Close contact: If you have been within six feet of someone who is COVID-19 infected for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, starting from two days before their illness onset or positive test until they are isolated. This includes direct physical contact or providing care for a COVID-19 positive person.
Quarantine: When an individual has been exposed to the virus, they must stay (quarantine) in their residence and watch for the development of symptoms for 10 days from the initial exposure. These individuals are not sick and may not have symptoms.
Isolation: When an individual is infected with COVID-19, they must stay in their residence in a separate room by themselves (isolate) for 10 days—whether they have symptoms or not. They cannot leave their home, except to get medical care.
Instructor Quick Guide
A new reference guide is available for instructors, which includes how to promote masking compliance within the classroom, how to purchase mask supplies, audio visual technology support contacts as well as information about the role of the symptom and exposure screening tool. Many of these tips can also be found in the video, “5 Things to Know as You Return to the UC San Diego Campus.”  
Student Hub for Mind-Body Health
Want a four-week workout to kick off the quarter? Looking for breathing techniques to erase tension? Or maybe you’d like to learn how to set healthy boundaries in relationships. For all of these topics and more, students can turn to the new Tritons Care website, an online hub for resources on food, money, relationships, mental health, academic success and more!

Upcoming Town Halls

Events Town Hall

Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 2:30 p.m.
Join us as campus leaders share updates on the Return to Learn program and address your questions related to campus events during the COVID-19 pandemic.
UC San Diego student creating an air filtration system to use in classrooms.

New Do-It-Yourself Air Filtration Boxes Fight COVID-19 Spread

Last week dozens of students, faculty and staff gathered on campus in an outdoor classroom to build 250 do-it-yourself air filters to support our Return to Learn program. Filters will be used in classrooms, lecture halls and labs throughout the campus, as well as donated to The Preuss School UC San Diego. The effort was spearheaded by atmospheric chemist Kimberly Prather, who has become a national expert on aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2. 

Your Questions Answered

Question: Can professors ask students to remove their face covering during class instruction (e.g. to understand them better)?
Answer: No, masking is required for all students and employees indoors regardless of vaccination status and serves as a significant safeguard (physical and psychological).
If the nature of your curriculum requires individuals not to wear masks (e.g., certain kinds of language or musical instruction in outdoor classrooms), this expectation should be clearly communicated to the department chair and students from the beginning. 
Question: What should I know about using a microphone while wearing a mask while teaching?
Answer: Lecture halls assigned by the Registrar's Office require the use of a lapel mic, rather than a fixed ceiling microphone. If you are teaching in one of these rooms and do not feel comfortable reusing a lapel mic, you may request your own dedicated lapel mic to use throughout the quarter. 
Please contact us at servicedesk@ucsd.edu to arrange a dedicated microphone delivery to your lecture hall for the first day of instruction (one mic per person please). Also, see a test demonstrating the effectiveness of using microphones while masked in the classroom
Question: Why does my campus ID card not work with the COVID-19 test vending machines?
Answer: In order to receive a self-administered COVID-19 test from a vending machine, you must use a compatible campus ID card. See which cards are compatible
For students who need a card replacement, please visit the Student Campus Card Replacement webpage. For employees who need a card replacement, please visit the Faculty/Staff Campus Card Replacement webpage
For more information, visit the Return to Learn Questions and Answers page.
If you have specific questions or would like to submit feedback about the Return to Learn program, please email rtl@ucsd.edu.
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