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Return to Learn Weekly, from UC San Diego

June 22, 2022

In Case You Missed It

Summer Vending Machine Availability

Some COVID-19 test kit vending machines will be unavailable on campus during the summer but more than a dozen will be operational. Vending machine closures will happen at the following locations: Muir College, Marshall College, Warren College, ERC, Revelle College, the Village, Coast Apartments and Rita Atkinson Apartments. Please see available vending machines here.

July 4 Holiday Closure

As you make plans for your Independence Day, please note that COVID-19 wastewater testing as well as vending machine test kit samples will not be processed on July 3 or July 4. Those who seek to use a test kit before attending gatherings and traveling should do so before the last pick up at 2 p.m. on July 2. Normal operations will resume on July 5.  

Isolation Guidance

Are you a campus employee or student that has recently tested positive for COVID-19? Learn about next steps on the Exposure and Isolation webpage.
Students (new guidelines): All campus residential students who test positive for COVID-19 must contact the UC San Diego Public Health Team to discuss their isolation plan. Failure to respond to Public Health communications will result in referral to Student Conduct. All students on and off-campus living with immunocompromised or high risk individuals should move to campus isolation housing. Learn more about isolation housing, resources while isolating, when you may end isolation and more on the Exposure and Isolation webpage.
Campus employees: Guidelines remain unchanged. Upon receiving a diagnosis/positive test for COVID-19, you must isolate. See full instructions on campus employee isolation.

Upcoming Town Halls

Staff Town Hall

Thursday, July 14 at 10 a.m.
A venn diagram with three circles intersecting. The first says

Where are we headed?

According to UC San Diego public health experts, there is little likelihood that COVID-19 case rates will decline substantially over the summer. This is due to several intersecting factors, including declining population immunity, variant evolution and a decline in masking. Despite the forecast, there are many proactive steps you can take to minimize the impact to you and your loved ones, including symptomatic testing, picking up a mask and getting vaccinated and boosted.

Your Questions Answered

Question: I received a positive COVID-19 test. How do I isolate?
Answer: There are several key considerations while isolating. Full details can be found on the Exposure and Isolation webpage.
  • Stay home except to get medical care.
  • Do not go to work, school, or public areas. Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.
  • Call ahead before visiting your provider.
  • Isolate away from other people and animals.
  • Mask whenever you need to leave your bedroom.
  • Clean surface areas of common areas such as shared bathrooms.
  • Do not repeat a PCR nasal swab test for 90 days from your positive test date, unless you develop new symptoms after Day 30 (This includes the self-administered tests available in UC San Diego vending machines).
  • Stop filling out your UC San Diego daily symptom and exposure screening during isolation.
Question: Where can I learn about the positive case rates in San Diego County?
Answer: The Return to Learn Dashboard features a graph of the 14-day rolling percentage of positive cases among UC San Diego campus employees and students as well as case rates in San Diego County. To view the graph, please visit the dashboard online. 
Question: What do the red dots indicate on the Wastewater Monitoring Dashboard?
Answer: A red dot indicates a potential exposure location by a diagnosed individual. To learn more about SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring, please visit the wastewater monitoring section of the Return to Learn Question and Answer webpage.
To learn more, visit the Return to Learn Questions & Answers page.
If you have specific questions or would like to submit feedback about the Return to Learn program, please email rtl@ucsd.edu.
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093
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