Your Top Questions Answered
Question: Can I walk up to a drive-thru testing site?
Answer: UC San Diego offers five drive-thru COVID-19 testing locations, including sites in Eastlake, Hillcrest, La Jolla, Rancho Bernardo and Encinitas. Although designed to accommodate students and employees in cars, these locations will also accept those who walk up (with a pre-scheduled appointment) or those who are dropped off through a rideshare program.
Question: What mental health resources are available for students and employees?
Answer: There are many new and existing resources available to help maintain mental and emotional wellness during the pandemic. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers confidential counseling and psychiatric services for registered students via telemedicine video visits. To start the process, schedule a brief telephone assessment by calling (858) 534-3755 or online through
MyStudentChart. In addition, CAPS offers
drop-in virtual workshops to help develop coping skills to increase resilience and wellbeing during this pandemic, as well as
free, self-guided mental health technologies through iFlourish.
Also, the
Faculty and Staff Assistance Program is open, with one-on-one sessions conducted via Zoom or phone. Current and returning clients can contact their counselor directly by phone or email; new clients can request an appointment online. For more information, contact
fsap@ucsd.edu. In addition,
educational workshops and support groups are available on a variety of topics.
UC San Diego Heath employees: Please contact your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider aligned with your medical coverage.
Question: If I think I may have been exposed, how soon should I get tested?
Answer: If you think you may have been exposed, you should quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of exposure. This means you will stay within your household and not leave except for medical care. We recommend you have a SARS-CoV-2 test five days after exposure, whether you have symptoms or not. If you receive a positive result, you need to take additional precautions to avoid exposing others. You need to isolate, stay within one bedroom and use a private bathroom (or disinfect the bathroom upon each use).
If your test from day five is negative, you will still need to remain in quarantine for the entire 14-day period, since you may start shedding virus at a later date. For individuals in quarantine, extra precautions should be taken for those living with vulnerable individuals who have underlying medical conditions, as they can be more severely impacted by the virus. Learn more on the
Testing and Screening page here.