Dear SDSU students, faculty and staff,

We have an important update on the university’s facial coving policy. 

Aligned with recent updates to the California Department of Public Health COVID-19 guidelines, SDSU’s facial covering policy has been revised recognizing the high COVID-19 vaccination and booster rates within our campus community. As shared this morning in a campus-wide email, the updated policy goes into effect Monday, March 7 and will remain in place throughout the spring 2022 semester.

The updated policy is as follows: 

For those who are NOT fully up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, including a booster dose (if eligible for a booster):

• Facial coverings must be worn at all times while indoors. This also includes during all instructional and research activities. 

For those who ARE fully up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, including a booster dose (if eligible for a booster):

Facial coverings are required in these settings: 

• When in instructional settings, whether indoors or outdoors. 
• In classrooms, instructional labs and other spaces being actively used in an instructional capacity. 
• When inside the University Library.  
• NOTE: Instructional faculty, teaching assistants and interpreters who are fully up to date with their vaccinations can remove their facial coverings when teaching as long as students are masked in the classroom.

Facial coverings are recommended indoors as follows: 

• When gathering for events, meetings and other functions with others, even if no members of the public or students are present. This provides some flexibility for vaccinated individuals in non-instructional settings and spaces on campus. 

Individuals who are fully vaccinated and boosted may voluntarily wear a facial covering in any setting if they wish to do so.

For all, no matter one’s vaccination or booster status:

Any individuals experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms must wear a facial covering if they are on campus to seek testing or as they exit campus to return home in accordance with expectations for those who are unwell if they have onset of symptoms while on campus.

NOTE: Facial coverings will continue to be required for all individuals in limited environments that have licensing or other requirements, such as the Children’s Center and Student Health Services.   

SDSU Student Health Services

SDSU has approved an updated policy for isolation and quarantine, including direction for students and guidance for faculty and staff in accordance with the San Diego County and Imperial County public health orders.

Isolation - For Those Who Test Positive

Updated on Jan. 20, 2022, the policy dictates that SDSU community members who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 must isolate for a period of 10 days, regardless of vaccination and booster status.

New this semester, individuals may end their isolation prior to the 10th day, with the approval of the SDSU COVID Clearance team. To be qualified to exit isolation prior to the 10th day, all individuals must have a negative COVID-19 test and must commit to wearing a facial covering, regardless of whether they had symptoms, and regardless of their vaccination or booster status. Testing results must be laboratory verified, meaning conducted by a laboratory with a written lab result.

Individuals cannot be cleared for early release through any other mechanism, including direction from a supervisor.

Individuals who would like early release from isolation should submit an online request to the SDSU COVID Clearance team for review and approval.

Quarantine - For Those Who Are A Close Contact

All SDSU community members who are not fully vaccinated and boosted must quarantine for 10 days if they are identified as a 'close contact' to someone who is COVID-positive. A close contact is defined as being within six (6) feet of someone who was COVID-positive for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the time that person was infectious.

The full policy, along with guidance for students, faculty and staff, is in the Isolation & Quarantine section of the COVID-19 site.

What To Do

If you ever test positive for COVID-19, there are a few things you must do, including the following:

• Report the case to SDSU as soon as you receive your test result.
• If you are an auxiliary employee, also report the case to your auxiliary Human Resources department.
• Isolate yourself and monitor your help per SDSU’s policy and guidelines.
• Be sure to tell your close contacts that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 so they can quarantine and get tested. For COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was less than 6 feet away from you for a combined total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. A person may still be considered a close contact even if they were wearing a facial covering.

Use the following graphics to guide your actions:

If you become sick

*Please select the image to view in a larger format

If you come within close contact with someone who is sick or tests positive

*Please select the image to view in a larger format

By taking these actions and by letting your close contacts know they may have been exposed to COVID-19, you are helping to protect them and everyone around them. Additional information about general prevention is on the university’s COVID-19 site.

As a reminder, with recent approval from the FDA and CDC, please make note that you are now considered eligible for a COVID-19 booster 5 months after completion of a Moderna or Pfizer primary vaccine series. Those community members who are considered eligible should seek a booster now.

If you have not submitted your booster record to the university, you are behind the deadline and should do so as soon as possible.

Information about how to access a COVID-19 vaccine can be found online.

You can still upload proof of a booster to HealtheConnect.

Students are encouraged to continue to make safe and healthy decisions when socializing and celebrating during the spring semester.

Aztec Nights events will have a modified schedule at the start of the spring semester, with events taking place on Jan. 22 and Jan. 28 between 9 p.m. to midnight. Events will be offered outdoors with strict COVID-19 protocols in place, including facial covering and campus clearance requirements for all event attendees. Forthcoming events include the following:

Additional Aztec Nights events are scheduled for the month of February. More information will be available soon on the Aztec Nights website.

To learn more about other campus events to be held virtually and in person during the spring semester, visit the SDSU Events Calendar. Events are already being planned for spring 2022 and include workshops, film screenings, lectures, cultural center gatherings, 125th anniversary events, and more.

This spring, individual COVID-19 cases that are confirmed will be posted to the COVID-19 Dashboard and shared in the COVID-19 Weekly Digest.

Public health teams will continue to provide direct notice and guidance to individuals who are close contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19, which has occurred throughout the pandemic.

*Data last updated January 20, 2022

SDSU: San Diego Campus

SDSU: Imperial Valley Campus

It is imperative that members of the community remain home when sick and appropriately report any new COVID-19 cases via the COVID-19 Case Reporting Form; employees should immediately inform their supervisors and human resources as well. Do not come to campus for classes, work, events, meetings or other activities when ill. Additional case reporting and contact information is on the COVID-19 site.

For more information about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic nationally, in California, and specifically in the San Diego and Imperial counties, rely on the following resources:

All should continue to follow campus health and safety protocols, including use of facial coverings, no matter one’s vaccine and booster status.

All are encouraged to carry a facial covering at all times and use it. It is also recommended to wear surgical or medical (N95, KF94, KN95, or similar) masks or a medical mask covered by a cloth mask, especially as these options are shown to be the most effective coverage in protecting against COVID-19 transmission.

University employees are able to request additional facial coverings. Requests should be coordinated through the respective college or department leadership to better manage resource logistics. Facial coverings can also be requested through the university’s Work Request site by clicking on the “COVID Material Requests” icon.

Students who need support obtaining accommodations in their courses should contact the Student Ability Success Center (SASC) by emailing sascinfo@sdsu.edu or calling 619-594-6473. General SASC information and appointment scheduling and office hours are available on the SASC site.

SDSU offers to students, faculty and staff many other types of support and assistance. Information is available on the university’s website and includes help that address health, mental well-being, financial concerns and more.

Well-being and Health Promotion continues to offer one-on-one education to connect with students and help them understand more about their sexual health, nutrition and sleep hygiene. W&HP also offers health coaching sessions to help students understand and improve their emotional wellness and self-care.

Aztec Recreation continues to offer facilities, programs and services both in person and virtually to support students and members' health and well-being. The Aztec Recreation Center expansion opened in November and offers state of the art weight and cardio equipment, an indoor running track, five fitness studios with daily classes, a quiet lounge, healthy eatery and more. Facial coverings must be worn at all times while in the ARC. Please check out the website at arc.sdsu.edu to learn more.

Students, faculty and staff at SDSU and SDSU Imperial Valley still have many options when seeking testing. Those options include the following:

• SDSU students, faculty and staff (including auxiliary employees with RedIDs) are able to access COVID-19 test kits at numerous vending machine locations at SDSU. Locations can be found using the interactive campus map.
• For those in San Diego, you can visit 211sandiego.org or call 2-1-1 if you would like to make an appointment or find a COVID-19 testing site near you.
• Information about San Diego County-run testing locations and Imperial County test sites is online.
• For those in other parts of the United States, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services maintains a site with state-by-state testing locations.

Health care providers, retail pharmacies and community clinics are offering vaccines and boosters. You can also make an appointment or find a site near you by calling 833-422-4255 or visiting the My Turn website.

All are encouraged to report any concerns or incidents of sexual violence, alcohol or other drug-related emergencies, and incidents of hazing. You can report any incidents or concerns by filling out the online form.

All students should know that SDSU has an Amnesty Policy for students and a Good Samaritan Policy for Recognized Student Organizations. When you call for help, generally, both you and the person in need of assistance will not receive a conduct record for violations of the Student Code of Conduct and the Student Organization Code of Conduct related to the incident.

If it is an emergency and someone needs help, call 9-1-1. And, if you’re unsure whether the situation is an emergency but still need help on or around SDSU, call the University Police Department’s non-emergency line at 619-594-1991.