Indoor masking strongly encouraged, weekly COVID-19 testing continues as cases rise
COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force
What you need to know:
- Weekly COVID-19 testing will continue until further notice
- Indoor masking is strongly encouraged
- Daily symptom monitoring will continue
Dear Bruin Community:
Based on current COVID-19 data, campus leadership is closely assessing the situation to determine whether mandatory indoor masking should be reinstituted at UCLA. Until that decision is made, we strongly urge everyone to wear a well-fitting mask in all indoor locations, regardless of vaccination status. Weekly COVID-19 testing through our campus program will continue to be required until further notice.
This is in response to a 62% rise in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County in the past seven days with the seven-day case rate now surpassing 100 new cases per 100,000 residents in L.A. County, indicating high rates of transmission. Similarly, we have also seen a significant rise in the number of positive cases at UCLA through our weekly campus testing program and wastewater testing system, with a 10-fold increase in case numbers on campus since Spring Break. These figures indicate that cases are now at a substantial level, per the UCLA COVID-19 Pivot Plan and Decision Matrix (PDF).
Daily symptom monitoring is also a continued requirement for all UCLA students, faculty and staff who live, learn and/or work at UCLA and other UCLA-owned properties, regardless of vaccination status.
NOTE: Those who work in UCLA Health clinical areas (including medical, dental and nursing clinics) must follow the COVID-19 protocols for healthcare settings. However, those who work in both clinical and non-clinical settings must also comply with these campus protocols when outside of the healthcare environment.
UCLA PreK–12 facilities (including early care and education centers, UCLA Lab School and Geffen Academy) will follow specific protocols that will be communicated separately from the schools.
Thank you for your cooperation and your efforts to reduce the public health risk to our Bruin community.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Beck
Administrative Vice Chancellor
Co-chair, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force
Megan McEvoy
Professor, Institute for Society and Genetics,
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
Co-chair, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force
