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April 22, 2022

In Case You Missed It

There has been a small increase in COVID-19 cases on campus spurred by New England variants; masking indoors in highly trafficked areas is recommended but not mandated (free masks are available here). Please conduct a COVID-19 test if you experience symptoms, become exposed or if there is a positive wastewater signal in the building you live or work in. 

Home Rapid Antigen Test Guidance

If you receive a positive result from a home antigen test, please report it. This is important to ensure you are getting testing and health care support and also to assist with contact tracing efforts. Campus employees should report results to the UC San Diego Testing Support Line (TSL) at emp-test-sch-line@health.ucsd.edu. Students should contact Student Health Services at shsmr@ucsd.edu. Once reported, you will be scheduled for a PCR test at UC San Diego to confirm the positive result.
For students who are required to complete twice-weekly asymptomatic testing to be compliant with the UC Vaccination Mandate, negative home antigen test results do not qualify. To satisfy these requirements, students must conduct a COVID-19 PCR test processed in a clinic/lab at UC San Diego or report a rapid antigen test conducted by a clinic/lab. Learn more on the Testing and Screening webpage.  

COVID-19 Boosters Available

Appointments for Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine boosters are available for students and campus employees. Additional boosters are available to those age 50 and older and those who are immunocompromised 4 months after their most recent vaccine dose. At this time, the additional booster is not required to remain compliant with the UC Vaccine Mandate. Learn more about boosters.

Clarification Regarding Research Work Arrangements

As the campus returns to more in-person and on-site activities, supervisors may now determine work arrangements, including asking research staff, graduate student researchers, and postdoctoral scholars to be on-site and in-person. Please note that the UC Office of the President program allowing international remote work agreements expired on December 31, 2021 and is no longer available. We encourage research staff, graduate student researchers, postdoctoral scholars and supervisors to proactively communicate with one another to understand work expectations. 

Masking Reminder

Masking remains one of the most effective ways to stay healthy–but when and where are masks required at UC San Diego? 
  • All indoor classrooms and instructional settings
  • All university transportation
  • All clinical settings
  • Also: If you have COVID-19 symptoms, please wear a mask and reconsider socializing with others while you await test results.

Upcoming Town Hall

Staff Town Hall 

Thursday, Apr. 28
9:30 a.m.

Photo of a ferris wheel

Is this the New Normal for Summer 2022? COVID-19 Cases Stabilize After Slight Blip

“As the level of immunity has been built through vaccination and through experience with Omicron, a new virus trying to break through in the summer will have a tougher time than it did last summer and the summer before,” said Dr. Robert “Chip” Schooley, an infectious disease expert at UC San Diego in a recent San Diego Union-Tribune article.

Your Questions Answered

Question: What are the symptoms that warrant testing?
Answer: Any of the following that are unrelated to a chronic condition: cough, shortness of breath, fever, fatigue or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. See all testing options.

Question: What is SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring?

Answer: The SARS-CoV-2 virus is shed from the gastrointestinal tract and can be detected in feces early in the infection before clinical symptoms. UC San Diego’s wastewater monitoring program tests for SARS-CoV-2 virus in the wastewater outflow from buildings across the campus. Our test is extremely sensitive⁠—a sampler covering several buildings housing a hundred or more people is capable of detecting a single individual shedding virus. If you receive a positive wastewater notification for the building where you live or work, you should get tested out of an abunance of caution. See all testing options.

Question: Why should children and teens get vaccinated against COVID-19?

Answer: COVID-19 can make children and teens very sick and sometimes requires treatment in a hospital. Getting eligible children and teens vaccinated against COVID-19 can help keep them from getting really sick if they do get COVID-19, including protecting them from short and long-term complications and hospitalization. Vaccinating children can also help keep them in school or daycare and safely participating in sports, playdates, and other group activities.
The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks. CDC recommends everyone ages 5 years and older get vaccinated against COVID-19. Everyone ages 12 years and older should also get a COVID-19 booster shot. To learn more, visit the CDC webpage on COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens.
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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