A message sent by the Office of Communications
Dear UCSF Community,
We hope you are well with the arrival of the fall season. We are happy to report that new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and test positivity rates have fallen in recent weeks, a promising sign that conditions are improving across the country.
Since the start of the pandemic, UCSF has relied on science and data to better understand and control this disease. Given the positive trends, the University continues to modify its policies based on public health guidance. Please read about revised guidelines and procedures below.
UCSF Ends Surveillance Testing for Unvaccinated Individuals – NEW
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has recently eliminated the requirement for weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing of persons who are not up to date with current COVID-19 vaccination requirements who work in health care settings and other high-risk environments.
CDPH rescinded this requirement for reasons including changes in the severity of COVID-19 infections due to widespread vaccination, access to new COVID-19 treatments, and changes in COVID-19 strains that have reduced the impact of vaccination on COVID-19 transmission and spread in the community.
As a result, UCSF, including Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, and UCSF Fresno, will end surveillance testing for employees, learners, volunteers, contractors and inpatient visitors who are not up to date on vaccinations, meaning they have not completed the initial vaccination series and received at least one booster. Here’s what you should know:
Effective today, Sept. 26, 2022, the Daily Health Screener will reflect these changes.
- Employees and learners who are not up to date with current COVID-19 vaccinations will have to complete an attestation every time they screen before entry to UCSF facilities.
- The attestation for non-pharmaceutical interventions will be present in all digital screeners for employees and students, vendors, campus guests and patient visitors.
- Please note that COVID-19 surveillance testing could be re-instated at any time in the future if there are significant changes in COVID-19 strains and transmission that require it.
UCSF Revises Return to On-Site Work Guidelines – NEW
With decreasing COVID-19 infection rates in the Bay Area and among UCSF employees and learners, the UCSF enterprise-wide COVID-19 impact level is now “Medium.” The following updates/changes are now in place in the Daily Health Screener and COVID Hotline:
1. Test Clearance for COVID-19 Symptoms. In addition to Color and PCR tests, home-based antigen testing is now an option for returning to work with COVID-like symptoms. This option requires TWO negative antigen tests performed at least 24 hours apart. Further details, instructions and Occupational Health Services (OHS) clearance letters are posted in the Daily Health Screener.
2. High-Risk COVID-19 Exposure Clearance. For persons with unprotected, close contact for more than 15 minutes with a COVID-confirmed individual in the previous 10 days, a negative COVID-19 test result is required before entering UCSF facilities. This can be achieved with a negative Color or PCR test, or with a negative home-based antigen test coupled with a Color test submitted on the first day onsite. Additional COVID tests will be required based on the number of days since first exposure. More details, instructions and OHS clearance letters are posted in the Daily Health Screener.
3. International Travel Guidance. Post-international-travel testing is strongly recommended for individuals who are up to date on their vaccinations (initial vaccination and at least one booster) but is no longer required for entry to UCSF facilities. Individuals who are NOT up to date on their vaccinations are still required to take a PCR or Color test within 24 hours and again 3-5 days after entry to campus within 10 days of international travel.
Home Antigen testing documentation requirements: If home antigen testing is used to meet the testing requirements, the following steps are required:
- Photos of both negative test result that include your name and date of birth must be emailed to [email protected] prior to entry.
- You can send one photo or two separate photos.
- To capture this information in a photo, consider writing your name/date of birth on a piece of paper and placing the test result(s) on the paper.
- BCH Oakland employees must send negative test results to [email protected]
UCSF Revises Guidance for Hosting Meeting and Events – NEW
UCSF recently revised its guidance for hosting meetings and events. The following event guidance applies to all UCSF-sponsored events at locations both on-site and off-site:
Events with Fewer than 100 People
- Masking indoors strongly recommended
- Food and beverage outdoors strongly recommended
- Food and beverage allowed indoors with social distancing recommended
Events with 100 People or More
- Indoor masking strongly recommended
- Food and beverage outdoors strongly recommended with social distancing
- Food and beverage allowed indoors with 50% capacity and social distancing recommended
Please also note:
- Non-sponsored UCSF events are expected to adhere to local jurisdictions' public health orders.
- Multi-day events are currently allowed.
- Non-sponsored UCSF events are expected to adhere to local jurisdictions' public health orders.
UCSF Offers Updated Booster Shots – REMINDER
UCSF continues to offer the updated COVID-19 booster shots, as authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use. These new booster shots are specifically formulated to protect against infection from the two most prevalent Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5 and contains the components of the original booster shots. Here’s what you should know:
- To be eligible for the new booster shots, you must have completed your primary vaccination series — and be at least two months out from your last dose of any COVID vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you’ve recently had COVID-19, you should be fully recovered before getting your updated booster shot.
- Details about where to get the new booster shots at UCSF and eligibility criteria are on the UCSF Health website
- Those eligible for a booster shot can schedule an appointment at UCSF by using MyChart or calling (415) 476-3307. You do not need to be a UCSF Health patient.
- UCSF Fresno employees eligible for an updated COVID-19 booster shot can get one at UCSF Fresno's Mobile COVID-19 Equity Project at 550 E. Shaw Ave. More information is available at www.fresno.ucsf.edu/cep
- Moderna and Pfizer bivalent booster shots are available at BCH Oakland on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the OPC, 744 52nd Street. Schedule via MyChart or by calling (415) 476-3307.
- To schedule an appointment outside UCSF, please visit your pharmacy’s website, your county’s vaccine website, California’s My Turn, or the national vaccines.gov site.
- If you get a booster shot outside UCSF, please upload proof of that record to the Occupational Health Services portal (UCSF MyAccess is required.) Those who cannot connect to VPN should send the document to [email protected]
- BCH Oakland employees should send their booster documentation for shots received outside of UCSF to [email protected]
UCSF Offers Flu Vaccines – REMINDER
As part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health of faculty, staff, learners and volunteers, UCSF is once again offering free influenza vaccines at various UCSF locations to prevent the spread of the disease in our community. Here is what you need to know:
- UCSF Occupational Health Services (OHS) is offering a series of flu shot clinics at many different campuses and building locations.
- The schedule of flu shot clinics are posted here: https://ucsf.app.box.com/s/g2pzfvxtjbd5bbnkqys5m07lkg3p89um
- Everyone must complete the Daily Health Screener prior to arriving at any vaccination clinic and must wear a mask while in the vaccination clinics
- If you receive your flu shot from UCSF, you will be sent an email confirmation within 48 to 72 hours, and the record is automatically submitted to UCSF OHS.
- If you receive your flu vaccination from a provider outside UCSF, please submit the record via the OHS Portal at https://ohsportal.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/ (Note that VPN MyAccess is required)
- BCH Oakland employees can obtain drop-in flu shots at Employee Health starting September 27, Monday through Friday from 7 to 9 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. For flu shots received outside UCSF, records should be emailed to [email protected]
UCSF Offers Monkeypox (MPX) Vaccines – REMINDER
UCSF provides vaccination against MPX or all eligible individuals who do not need to be UCSF Health patients. In alignment with the CDPH and the SFDPH, UCSF is referring to monkeypox as MPX (pronounced “em-pox”).
MPX is an infectious disease that's currently spreading in the United States. It's transmitted through close contact and causes a rash on various parts of the body. You can learn more about MPX and what to do if you may have been exposed from the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the CDC.
For details about vaccination eligibility and how to get MPX vaccines at UCSF, please visit the UCSF Health MPX webpage.
UCSF Updates Indoor Masking Policy – REMINDER
The University continues to update its masking policy for inside campus and UCSF Health buildings as noted on the coronavirus website here. Please note these details below:
- Masks are strongly recommended but no longer be required in some indoor spaces on campus, except for high-risk settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and campus shuttles.
- Unvaccinated personnel with exceptions must always wear masks and comply with other non-pharmaceutical interventions.
- Those with a recent high-risk exposure to COVID-19 must always wear masks and comply with other non-pharmaceutical interventions.