COVID-19 Testing for the UCSF Community

The information on this page is directed to UCSF faculty, staff and learners and Benioff Children's Hospitals faculty. For patient information, visit UCSF Health’s COVID-19 Information for Patients & Visitors or COVID-19 Vaccines at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals websites.

Updated October 18, 2023

UCSF COVID-19 Testing Policy

Changes Effective on April 3, 2023

  • Color testing is no longer offered at UCSF.
  • UCSF employees and students  are no longer required  to perform the daily health screening before entering UCSF facilities (including UCSF Fresno and Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland).
  • The Digital Screener will continue to be available for symptoms and exposure guidance.  
  • The Digital Screener is still required for COVID-19 infection reporting and Occupational Health Services (OHS) clearance. It is available through the Mobile App or the Digital Screener website. 

Testing Availability

Testing Availability through UCSF Occupational Health Services  

  • For workplace exposure, complete the Digital Screener and contact UCSF Occupational Health Covid Response Team at 415-514-7328 to discuss where to get test kits. 

Home Antigen Testing Availability through UC Health Plans 

Home Antigen Testing Availability through the Federal Government  

What to Do for Symptoms, Exposure and Infection

The Digital Screener is your guide to return-to-onsite work or learning for symptoms, exposure and infection. You can self-assess and clear yourself back to work or learning via the Digital Screener.  Review the guidance below if you fall into one of the following three categories:

1. COVID Negative with Symptoms

Individuals should review the guidance for return-to-onsite-work and connect with approved testing in the Digital Screener. To be eligible, the following conditions should be met:

  • Symptoms are completely gone or improving enough to resume work activities with a negative COVID test. Fever-free for more than 24 hours without fever-reducing medications; diarrhea-free for more than 48 hours if not related to pre-existing conditions; feeling ready to return-to-onsite work; if working in a high-risk unit, no sneezing or coughing. 
  • Acceptable tests for symptoms evaluation are: A single PCR test or two negative home-based antigen tests performed at least 48 hours apart.
    • If you have mild symptoms, meet the Illness/Symptom Recovery criteria above and need to return to work/campus, you must adhere to the following conditions until you complete the second negative antigen test: 
      • Wear a well-fitted mask at all times 
      • Mask in break rooms 
      • Eat/drink separately from others

2. High-Risk Exposures

The Digital Screener will guide the individual on testing protocols, depending on the nature of the exposure, and issue a clearance email letter with instructions. 

  • All persons with high-risk exposures require a negative COVID-19 test before entering UCSF facilities.
  • Antigen or PCR tests are acceptable immediately after exposure awareness, and again on day 3 and day 5 after exposure.
  • Employees and learners with high-risk exposures must attest to the following criteria listed below:
    • Must be asymptomatic
    • Must have completed the required COVID-19 testing protocol
    • Masking: wear a well-fitted mask in all areas at all times until 10 days following exposure

3. COVID-19-positive Persons

Report a COVID-19 Positive test via the UCSF Digital Screener and follow the automated return-to-work guidance.

  • Day 0 is symptom onset (or positive test if asymptomatic).
  • Immunocompromised persons and those experiencing symptoms for more than 20 days must contact the UCSF OHS COVID Response Team for return-to-work guidance at (415) 514-7328.

Those returning to work/learning with a SHORTENED isolation period (BEFORE 10-days) MUST agree to the following criteria: 

  • Must not have immunocompromised conditions. 
  • Symptoms are completely gone or improving enough to resume work activities. Fever-free for more than 24 hours without fever-reducing medications; diarrhea-free for more than 48 hours if not related to pre-existing conditions; feeling ready to return to onsite work/learn; if working in a high-risk unit, symptoms must be gone.  
  • One Negative Rapid Home Antigen test collected between Day 5 and Day 10
    • Photo or PDF of Negative Home Antigen test including name, date of birth and date the test was collected MUST be emailed to [email protected].  
  • If you have a Negative Home Antigen test collected Day 5 or later AND meet the symptom criteria, employees and learners may return on site Day 6 or later
  • Masking: wear a well-fitted mask in all areas at all times until Day 10 

Those returning to work/learning AFTER a 10-day isolation period MUST agree to the following criteria: 

  • Must not have immunocompromised conditions. 
  • Symptoms are completely gone or improving enough to resume work activities. Fever-free for more than 24 hours without fever-reducing medications; diarrhea-free for more than 48 hours if not related to pre-existing conditions; feeling ready to return to onsite work/learn; if working in a high-risk unit, symptoms must be gone. 

If you have recently recovered from a COVID infection and are experiencing new symptoms, or if you have learned you were recently exposed, complete the UCSF Digital Screener or contact the OHS COVID Response Team for further guidance at (415) 514-7328. 

Questions? 

Self-Report a Positive COVID-19 Test

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, UCSF has enacted an organization-wide policy requiring all personnel working or learning at UCSF – including those at UCSF Fresno and Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and those working remotely – who test or have tested positive for COVID-19 at a facility other than UCSF OHS (e.g., UCSF Primary Care, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, a county testing center, etc.) to self-report the positive COVID-19 test result to the appropriate UCSF department:

  • Employees and volunteers working at UCSF are required to self-report the positive test result to UCSF OHS by completing the Digital Screener, calling the COVID-19 hotline at (415) 514-7328 or emailing [email protected]. This policy applies whether working on property owned or leased by UCSF or working remotely (e.g., telecommuting), paid or unpaid.
  • UCSF students are required to report the positive test result to UCSF Student Health and Counseling Services by calling (415) 476-8736 or sending a secure message to the student health nurse.
  • Non-UCSF people who provide services for UCSF on a contract basis (e.g., onsite vendors) are strongly encouraged, but not required, to disclose the results of a positive COVID-19 test to OHS by emailing [email protected].
  • Non-UCSF occupants of UCSF housing, such as partners and employees, are also strongly encouraged, but not required, to report a positive test result to UCSF Occupational Health Services (OHS) by emailing [email protected].

Self-reporting a positive COVID-19 diagnosis will allow UCSF to provide individualized counseling on how best to manage the condition and prevent exposure to others, and to describe criteria and procedures for returning to campus when appropriate. For past cases, self-reporting will allow UCSF to help respond to reinfections, should they occur in the future, and for contact tracing.

UCSF honors the privacy of our community and confidentiality obligations. Personal medical information will be safeguarded and used only for limited, health-related purposes, including to perform contact tracing or other activities to address employee, student and patient safety as directed by UCSF OHS and Infection Prevention Services. This information will be maintained only in the appropriate health records, separate from employee personnel files or student records. Self-reporting to supervisors or advisors is not required.

This self-reporting policy will remain in effect until further notice. Questions about this policy can be addressed to OHS at [email protected].

Request for Anonymity for AB 685 Notification Purposes

AB 685 requires the University of California to notify exclusive union representatives of the names of employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 and who worked onsite during the infectious period. Under 8 CCR 14300.29(b)(7), employees may request that their names not be included in such notifications so long as such a request is voluntary and independent.