UCLA indoor masking requirements remain unchanged
COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force
Dear Bruin Community:
We want to share that California Gov. Newsom’s recent announcement regarding the state mandate to lift indoor masking requirements for fully vaccinated individuals beginning Feb. 16 does not apply to L.A. County, and in turn does not apply to UCLA.
Counties are authorized to keep stricter guidelines in place, if desired, and the L.A. County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) has opted to do so. UCLA cannot be less restrictive than LACDPH and therefore will continue with its universal indoor mask requirement until further notice.
Please review the Jan. 13 BruinPost detailing current UCLA masking protocols and the need for upgraded masks and be aware of the importance of proper mask use as a strategy to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Free upgraded masks will continue to be available for students in various campus locations including (but not limited to) the John Wooden Center, Student Activities Center and ASUCLA locations, including UCLA Store locations, the Ackerman Union Information Window and Ackerman indoor dining locations.Upgraded masks are also availableat no costat Housing front desks for residential students. Bruin ID card is required at the time of pick up at all locations.
Departments will continue to provide upgraded masks to all faculty and staff working on site free of charge, and make them available to students upon request. In addition, visitors are strongly encouraged to wear upgraded masks when on UCLA properties and must adhere to the masking protocols outlined in the LACDPH Health Officer Order (PDF).
L.A. County’s masking mandate is expected to stay in place until the region is in “post-surge,” which is defined as the point at which COVID-19 daily hospitalizations in L.A. County drop below 2,500 for seven consecutive days. According to the LACDPH, as of Feb. 8, there were 2,702 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and while this number is trending downward, the county is still not in a place where masking requirements can be lifted.
Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding, and thank you for continuing to wear upgraded masks in required spaces.
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
