COVID-19 FAQ

If you are a student or employee and you think you have come in close contact with someone with COVID-19 (see L.A. County Public Health's definition of close contact), please take the following steps:

• Call your medical provider and follow their advice. If you are a student, we ask that you also contact the Student Health Center at 323-343-3302. For other information and hours of operation, please visit the Student Health Center webpage. 
• Employees should also notify their supervisor and should contact Human Resources Management at [email protected].
• Monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough, and shortness of breath or trouble breathing. Symptoms may also include chills, body aches, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and runny nose. 

If you have any additional questions, call the Cal State LA COVID-19 Hotline at 323-343-3385.

Yes. All Cal State LA employees, students and visitors are required to conduct a health self-screening for COVID-19 symptoms before arriving at Cal State LA.

If you are experiencing any of the below symptoms, please do not come onto the Cal State LA campus. Please follow the instructions posted in the next answer below if you are a Cal State LA employee or student

• Fever of 100.4 F, or; 
• Alternating chills and sweating; or 
• Cough, trouble breathing, shortness of breath; or 
• Sore throat; or 
• Muscle or body aches; or 
• New loss of smell or taste; or 
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; or 
• Headache; or 
• Congestion or runny nose; or 
• Fatigue

Free at-home COVID-19 antigen test kits are available. Test kits for students are available at the Student Health Center Pharmacy. These tests are intended for students who do not have health insurance or who have limited access to health care resources, or students who have an immediate need. Employees who need test kits should contact their health care provider. Employees may also contact their supervisor or resource manager for at-home test kits.

COVID-19 testing in L.A. County. Find information about COVID-19 testing on the L.A. County COVID-19 testing website.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, in addition to others listed in the previous question. If you become ill, please:

• Stay home and avoid contact with others, except for seeking medical care if needed.
• Students may seek medical care from the Student Health Center (SHC). Please call first at 323-343-3300 before visiting the SHC. The SHC is following the guidelines of Public Health in assessing and caring for patients presenting with symptoms. For other information and hours of operation, please visit the Student Health Center webpage. If students have questions about their symptoms, they can call 323-343-3302.
• Employees should contact their healthcare provider.
• Employees who have any symptoms listed above must inform their appropriate administrator that they are exhibiting one or more of these symptoms, contact their medical provider for advice, and not report to work. Employees who develop these symptoms and/or test positive for COVID-19 are required to disclose this information to Human Resources Management at [email protected] and may not return to work until clearance from Human Resources Management. 
• Employees who develop these symptoms during the workday while on campus will be sent home and advised to contact their medical provider, and follow up with their appropriate administrator or chair for bargaining Unit 3 employees. The employee will be placed on a temporary telework assignment until the illness is defined, at which point, the employee will work with Human Resources Management to determine appropriate recording of absence. 
• Do not travel while sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Throw used tissues in trash and wash your hands immediately.
• Separate yourself from other people in your home and avoid sharing personal items.
• Rest and drink plenty of fluids.
• Seek urgent medical care for serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing or inability to keep fluids down.

Cal State LA is a welcoming and inclusive community and does not tolerate discrimination, harassment or retaliation.

Students, faculty and staff who feel they are being treated unfairly, discriminated against or harassed should contact the University Title IX Office or the Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Students may also contact the Office of the Dean of Students. The University also provides counseling services for students through Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

Face masks are only required in the Student Health Center. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors are always welcome to wear a mask.

The L.A. County Department of Public Health offers rules and recommendations regarding masking following COVID-19 infection or exposure.

Learn more about face masks.

Surgical masks are available for students, faculty, and staff in dispensers located in buildings throughout campus, often near main entrances, stairwells, or on various floors. The dispensers also offer hand sanitizer.

Employees can request an N95 respirator on the Risk Management and EHS website using the N95 Respirator Request Form (Online).

Faculty can contact their college resource managers, dean or associate dean to get required personal protective equipment, including face masks.

Other personal protective equipment (PPE), such as clear-panel masks and gloves, are available for those who have job responsibilities necessitating use. Should you need these items, please contact your resource manager.

Under a revised California State University policy, the COVID-19 vaccination is no longer required at CSU campuses but is strongly recommended. Cal State LA has implemented this policy. Effective April 6, 2023, the revised policy strongly recommends vaccines as a safety measure to help prevent serious illness.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that those who have completed the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine series receive a booster shot five months after their second dose. For those who have received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, getting a booster shot two months after the first dose is recommended.

Find additional information from the Centers for Disease Control about booster timeline recommendations for immunocompromised individuals, as well as information those who are eligible for a second booster shot.

You can get a booster shot when you are no longer in isolation. If your doctor has advised that isolation is no longer required, and you are eligible to receive the booster based on the eligibility timeline described above, you can receive a booster shot. If you received monoclonal antibodies as part of your COVID-19 treatment plan, you should wait 90 days before getting the COVID-19 booster.

You can access a digital copy of your COVID-19 vaccination record through the state of California's Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record portal. If you are using your digital record as proof of vaccination, be sure to include the QR code and all of your vaccine administration information, rather than just the QR code.

We report confirmed cases of COVID-19 among members of our campus community on the COVID-19 Cases webpage.

Physical distancing and barrier requirements have been eliminated on campus, in line with state and county public health guidance. 

We have taken measures to keep everyone safe at Cal State LA. Campus custodians continue to support the maintenance and cleaning efforts across campus.

We have added additional touch-free bottle-filling stations throughout campus and added touchless restroom fixtures to support a cleaner environment.

Cleaning and disinfecting of classrooms, offices, restrooms, and public spaces occur regularly throughout campus in line with requirements from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines using EPA-approved disinfectants. 

Safety signage has been posted at elevators, stairwells, and restrooms.

HVAC systems have been upgraded and improved campuswide to support the delivery of air and to remove and dilute concentrations of contaminants in the building air systems. The building mechanical ventilation systems are maximizing outside air and continue to run 24/7 to support a healthy indoor environment. Additionally, all filters are now MERV 13 or higher in support of greater filtration to capture airborne viruses.

The Cal State LA Office of Risk Management and Environmental, Health and Safety (RMEHS) have been working with all divisions to follow the guidance of state and local public health officials. Cal State LA is committed to ensuring the safety of the University community.

Divisions, departments and offices have been provided a safety site assessment to manage their operations in a safe manner that complies with federal, state and local guidelines. Please visit the RMEHS COVID-19 Safety Site Assessment webpage for more information and email [email protected] for a safety site assessment.

To report an unsafe condition or violation of any health and safety related campus policies, please fill out a Hazard Incident Report.

Air duct cleaning and air damper replacement across all campus buildings is complete with newly upgraded and improved components to increase the delivery of clean air. Upgrades include the installation of MERV 13 or higher filters improving the filtration systems capacity to remove and dilute concentrations of contaminants in the building air systems. All buildings are maximizing the use of outside air with continued nighttime operation to flush the buildings to promote a healthy indoor air environment. 

All buildings received updated air balance surveys to ensure proper ventilation and air exchange throughout the buildings. The University's Building Supervising Engineers continue to manage the buildings' mechanical system operations ensuring ventilation systems are maintained and operating in compliance with all regulatory requirements. In addition, temperature readings are taken throughout the campus daily to ensure systems are functional.