More Testing

From an email circulated yesterday:

Dear Bruin Community:

As part of our ongoing efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on our campus and in our community, we provide this update on UCLA’s plans for expanded COVID-19 testing and community screening. As you likely know by now, testing — when performed regularly and in conjunction with other interventions, such as face covers, appropriate distancing and frequent hand-washing — is one of the best tools we have to quickly identify, contact trace and isolate those who have COVID-19.

Currently, undergraduate students living on and off campus in University-owned housing, students living in fraternity and sorority housing, and those Housing professional staff who have regular interaction with students, are being tested weekly. Effective the week of October 26, all members of the campus community, excluding the Health System, who are living, learning or working on campus — and are present on campus at least once per week — will be tested for COVID-19 on a regular schedule, most weekly. This testing is free and is mandatory for most groups. Additionally, students living near the campus and not participating in on-campus working or learning are highly encouraged to participate in weekly testing.

Details of the requirements and procedures can be found in the revised Community Screening Protocol (PDF) available on Bruins Safe Online. Key elements of the testing include:

• Two campus locations: Covel Grand Horizon Ballroom on the Hill and Collins Court in the John Wooden Recreation Center at Bruin Plaza. You can choose to test at either location
• Convenient registration, scheduling and test results via mobile device
• A self-administered mid-nasal swab test that is simple to perform
• Results delivered in 24 to 48 hours via secure link

A list of answers to testing FAQs is available on the Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center website.

All those who fall within cohorts listed in the revised protocol will soon receive an email notification with detailed instructions. Weekly reminders will be texted or emailed to you with links to schedule subsequent tests. For employees without email, coordination for testing will be organized through their supervisors.

In the next few weeks, UCLA will also launch a mobile testing unit so that those Bruins who live in the vicinity of campus will have the opportunity to access free, convenient testing without having to come to the campus. Additionally, the mobile testing unit will be available on a central campus location for testing until 6 p.m. Monday – Friday. Details, including a full schedule and list of locations, will soon be available on the Ashe website.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding as we work together to minimize the spread of the virus and manage through the pandemic. If you have any questions about testing requirements, please email covid19@ucla.edu.

Michael J. Beck

Administrative Vice Chancellor

Monroe Gorden, Jr.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Michael S. Levine

Vice Chancellor for Academic Personnel