As state and other agency COVID-19 restrictions have evolved, we have adjusted several campus protocols. This marks a shift to an operational state close to what we had prior to the pandemic. The following summary outlines these changes, which are based on the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and Cal/OSHA. Unless noted otherwise, all changes are effective immediately. We are expecting additional guidance from the UC Office of the President and will share that with you when it is available. As has been true throughout the pandemic, the information below is subject to change in the event that conditions change.
Face coverings
Face coverings will be required indoors for people who are not fully vaccinated. The campus will provide face coverings and N95 respirators for any unvaccinated employees who would like one. You can request face coverings or N95 respirators through the campus COVID-19 supplies request form or contact EH&S at ehs@ucsc.edu for assistance. We recognize that some vaccinated people might still prefer to wear face coverings, and managers should ensure those individuals’ choices are supported. We anticipate that UCOP will provide additional guidance on face coverings as we plan for the fall quarter.
Face coverings are required for everyone riding a campus shuttle/bus.
Physical distancing and partitions
Physical distancing is no longer required, except for unvaccinated employees eating or drinking indoors. Plastic partitions are no longer required where physical distancing is not possible, although it is not required to remove partitions that have already been put in place.
Symptom checks
Cal/OSHA still requires daily symptom checks for employees, including those who are fully vaccinated. Our current symptom check protocols can be found online. We are in the process of revising the symptom check protocol and will share those changes with you soon.
Worksite plans
We are ending our worksite plan process. This means buildings and programs are no longer required to submit plans before spaces can be utilized or programs can resume onsite. All existing COVID-19 building signage can be removed, restrooms can be opened up without restrictions, and spaces, including conference rooms, will not have COVID-19 capacity related restrictions. We will keep hand sanitizer stations at the main entrances. We are in the process of developing a new universal building sign outlining the updated COVID-19 protocols.
Employee isolation spaces
All employee isolation spaces in buildings can return to their intended use, with the understanding that those spaces will need to be cleared if required for a COVID case.
COVID-19 training
COVID-19 training is still required for all employees who are on site at any UCSC facility. The current training is being revised, and we will pass along the revised information when it is ready.
Events and conferences
As we shared in our last operational update, events, camps and conferences no longer require review by the Risk & Safety Services unit. We have developed a document that provides the summary of applicable protocols that govern events.
Asymptomatic testing protocol
Unvaccinated students (undergraduate and graduate) living in university housing or who are on-site for any reason are required to have weekly COVID-19 tests. Full details may be found on the Student Health website. Vaccinated students living, working and learning on site are not required to participate in the Asymptomatic Testing program.
All employees continue to be eligible for voluntary testing.
UC vaccination policy
As announced earlier this month, COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for all faculty, staff, academic appointees, and students accessing facilities at any UC campus this fall. We anticipate the policy will be finalized by the Office of the President by July 15. Our campus is finalizing the tool we will use to upload proof of vaccination. In addition, a systemwide work group has been appointed to make recommendations about other aspects of policy implementation. As more information becomes available, we will update you.
All of the changes above reflect our collective journey through a more promising phase of pandemic recovery. Each one of you has played a role in getting us to this point. Thank you for your compassion, your flexibility, and all of the efforts you made to support our campus community wellness over these last sixteen months.
