Campus Health Center

Mask-Friendly Campus Policy

CSUMB is a mask-friendly campus policy.  Anyone who chooses to wear a mask in most indoor spaces is welcome and encouraged to do so. Read the policy announcement.

When and where masking is still required:

• Face masks are required for patients with respiratory symptoms when accessing health care services at the Campus Health Center in Bldg 80. Masks are available.
• Living in student housing and are symptomatic and awaiting test results and when COVID-19 positive and fulfilling an isolation period
• Exposed to a COVID-19 positive person, are asymptomatic or symptomatic, and are awaiting test results
• Any place where official signs indicate masking is required

If you are a student who may need accommodations, email Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC) or call 831-582-3672.

Availability of free masks:

The university will continue to provide free masks, including 3-ply surgical and KN95 options, at these eight on campus locations:

• Alumni Visitor Center | Info desk at main entrance
• Building 12 | Housing Office
• Building 47 | Student Service Center lobby
• Library | First floor
• Otter Sports Center | Info desk at main entrance
• Otter Student Union | Info desk at main entrance
• Promontory Housing Office | Building B
• University Center

COVID-19 Test Availability

The Campus Health Center continues to provide free rapid testing to students and employees, who have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person or are symptomatic.

• Request a single take home rapid test at the CHC.
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing requires an appointment.

Employees must receive supervisor approval to pick up a rapid test or have a PCR test performed during work hours or may attend during their non-work schedule. 

COVID-19 Test Types and Process

Rapid/Antigen: Point-of-Care tests are diagnostic tests which provide results within minutes. 

PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to detect SARS-CoV-2 in upper and lower respiratory specimens. Tests may take anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days to process depending on current case rates. If the individual is symptomatic with a negative rapid test result, they are asked to also take a PCR test. Nasopharyngeal sample demonstration. 

• PCRs will be billed to the individual's insurance. Coverage for testing varies by plan. 
• There is no out-of-pocket cost or copay for processing a PCR at the Campus Health Center. 

COVID-19 Testing during evenings, weekends and campus holidays

Free COVID testing in Monterey County and in Santa Cruz County, and by Lightspeed Testing.

Doctors on Duty (DOD) clinics do not offer free rapid testing. If the CSUMB campus community visits a DOD clinic on evenings, weekends or campus holidays:

• Students will be charged for the rapid test, but not the appointment if they show their CSUMB ID.
• Faculty/Staff will be charged for both the rapid test and the appointment
• PCR tests are billed to student and employee’s insurance

Employees, all Monterey County residents are eligible for testing, regardless of insurance status. Although OptumServe will bill your insurance company for testing, there is no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. To make an appointment, visit the website or call 888-634-1123. You may learn more about Community Testing Sites on the County of Monterey Health Department webpage.

Isolation and Close Contact Guidance

CSUMB follows the California Department of Public Health's isolation and close contact guidelines. Isolation guidance details will be provided to each confirmed positive case by the Exposure Tracing Analyst and Human Resources or Corporation Human Resources representatives. See Exposure Tracing Process.

Employees and students are to complete the confidential and secure COVID-19 reporting form if:

• If you test at an off campus testing site and the test result is positive.
• If you test off campus and your result is negative on a rapid test and you are waiting for the results of a PCR test.
• Regardless of presently being on or off campus, if you are exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive.
• Anyone can submit the COVID-19 Positive Reporting Form for someone who is too ill to self-submit or have disclosed to you that they are positive and they have not submitted a report. Either inform the student or employee to submit a COVID-19 Reporting form or tell them you will do it for them. You will need to keep them on the phone until you complete the necessary information on the report.

Report a Case

Actions that initiate Exposure Tracing

• If an individual is tested at an off campus testing site and their test result is positive, they are to submit the COVID-19 Positive Reporting Form.

• If an individual, regardless of presently being on or off campus, is exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive, they are to submit their own COVID-19 Positive Reporting Form. 

• If an individual is waiting for the results of a PCR from an off campus location, they are to submit the COVID-19 Positive Reporting Form.

• Anyone can submit the COVID-19 Positive Reporting Form for someone who is too ill to self-submit or have disclosed to you that they are positive and they have not already submitted a report. Either inform the student or employee to submit a COVID-19 Reporting form or tell them you will do it for them. You will need to keep them on the phone until you complete the necessary information on the report.

When a COVID-19 Positive Reporting form is submitted, an Exposure Tracing Analyst, and Human Resources or Corporation Human Resources will contact the positive student and/or employee. The Exposure Tracing Analyst will also contact the confirmed on campus close contacts.

For details on Exposure Tracing, see the CSUMB COVID-19 Prevention Plan.

Effective April 6, 2023, per the revised California State University (CSU) COVID-19 Vaccinations and Other Safety Measures policy, CSUMB students and employees are no longer required to register their COVID-19 vaccination status in the Otter Vaccination Registry, but are required to continue to comply with all other related health and safety measures established by the campus, or federal/state laws and regulations. The updated CalOSHA COVID-19 requirements also include the services that will continue to be available at CSUMB through 2/3/2025, such as vaccines, masks, reporting of recent cases, etc.

Access to COVID-19 Vaccines

• COVID-19 vaccines are available at the CSUMB Campus Health Center by appointment, and by local providers. 
• If you have misplaced or lost your COVID-19 vaccination card, and you were vaccinated in California, you may retrieve your vaccination information at Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record, access your home state’s vaccine record system, or contact the primary care provider who administered your COVID-19 vaccines. 

OVR Security

• The Otter Vaccination Registry (OVR) form is now disabled. 
• The OVR data will be maintained as confidential medical records for three additional years, through February 3, 2026, to parallel the CalOSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-emergency Regulation requirement to maintain COVID-19 positive and exposure documentation one year after the extension of contract tracing and other health measures through February 3, 2025. 

CSUMB values openness and inclusion. The CSUMB community does not accept xenophobic behaviors expressed through speech, harassment, the spreading of misinformation, or misinformed decision-making.

Anyone experiencing incidents of xenophobia or harassment may report the incident, and seek additional support from the CSUMB Personal Growth & Counseling Center, Otter Cross-Cultural Center and the Office of Inclusive Excellence.