Employee Symptom Screening and COVID-19 Testing

UC San Diego Health Sciences and Health System employees can find information about testing, exposure and return-to-work guidelines here. In addition, Health Human Resources can be contacted for further guidance.

Campus employees can learn more on this page about employee symptom and exposure screening, COVID-19 testing, what to do if you have symptoms, what happens if you test positive, and mental health resources.

Daily Symptom Screening

On-site employees: required

All UC San Diego staff, faculty, student employees, and individuals who are working in a research lab who are reporting to campus or any other physical UC San Diego location for work must conduct a daily self-screening for COVID-19 and report any symptoms or confirmed exposures for days that they will be on site. All individuals regardless of vaccination status who develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should test. Student employees, including teaching assistants, should only use the student daily screener.

Remote employees: recommended

All remote employees are strongly encouraged to conduct a daily self-screening in order to help consistently monitor the community's health and help schedule testing quickly, if the need arises. After you complete the daily screening, your supervisor will be notified of your work status. If you have severe symptoms, you should call 911. All individuals regardless of vaccination status who develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should test.

Complete the screening »

Note: the screener tool can be accessed from a computer or mobile device. If you are unable to access the internet, you should call your supervisor, work lead or check-in person in advance of going to work on-site to complete the screening verbally.

What Do the Thumbs Mean?

All UC San Diego campus employees who are reporting to campus or any other physical UC San Diego location must conduct a daily self-screening for COVID-19 before arrival. You will receive a colored thumb after you complete the screening to signify if you are cleared to work or if testing is needed.

Allowed on campus
Follow campus safety guidelines

Allowed on campus
Must mask indoors and outdoors
Must eat alone
Follow campus safety guidelines

Not allowed on campus

COVID-19 Testing

UC San Diego offers an ongoing testing program for UC San Diego employees. Tests can be completed at no cost to employees at UC San Diego Health locations or via test kit vending macines, regardless of healthcare provider. You may also choose to visit your own healthcare provider for testing.

Testing Requirements: Routine Asymptomatic

Routine asymptomatic testing regardless of vaccination status is not required, but is available.

All campus employees are required to test if they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
Campus employees who have used the restroom facilities in a facility with a positive wastewater signal are strongly recommended to conduct a test (PCR or rapid antigen test), regardless of vaccination status.

Testing Requirements: Symptomatic

All campus employees are required to test immediately if they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
- If you test negative yet still have symptoms, you may work onsite but must wear a mask until the symptoms resolve.
- If you test positive, please see instructions here: Campus Employee Positive Test Isolation and Return to Work Guidelines.

Testing Requirements: Exposed

All campus employees are required to test immediately within 3 to 5 days after exposure. Those who have tested positive within the past 90 days should use a rapid antigen test. Learn more about what to do if you believe you’ve been exposed.
Campus employees who have used the restroom facilities in a facility with a positive wastewater signal are strongly recommended to conduct a test (PCR or rapid antigen test), regardless of vaccination status.

Testing Requirements: International Scholars Entering the U.S. from Mainland China

The CDC has announced requirements for a negative COVID test (PCR or antigen) within two days prior to departure for all air passengers two years or older entering the U.S. from mainland China (including Hong Kong and Macau) or documentation of recovery from COVID. The requirements go into effect Jan. 5, 2023.
For scholars unable to arrive for program start dates or to continue their research, work with your sponsoring department and the International Faculty and Scholars Office (IFSO) to amend your program start date as needed.
For scholars already on payroll, work with your sponsoring department to explore various leave options or, in consultation with your sponsoring department, Export Control, and other appropriate offices, explore whether remote work might be allowed.
For more information and additional support, contact IFSO or meet with an International Scholar Advisor.

Non-student employees with testing related questions should contact coemclearance@health.ucsd.edu or call 858-663-8205. Student employees with testing related questions should direct them to the ASK A NURSE function in your MyStudentChart or call 858-534-3300.

Access a Self-Administered Test Via Vending Machines (Must have campus employee ID card)

Employees may visit one of several vending machines on campus to pick up a self-administered test kit. There are two types available:

PCR: This is a very sensitive molecular test that looks for genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 by a self-administered nose swab. Samples should be dropped off within 72 hours from the time the kit is picked up, no appointment needed. Samples are picked up Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m. There is no pick up on Sunday. Samples are typically processed within 24 hours.
Rapid antigen test: These self-administered tests also involve a nasal swab. They produce results very quickly, within 15-30 minutes. They do not need to be processed by a lab. If your rapid antigen test result is positive, you must report it on your MyChart.

Retrieving a test

Please note that campus employees are required to swipe their campus ID card (see which cards are compatible) when picking up a self-administered test kit from a vending machine. For those who need a card replacement, please see here.

While test kits are still free, a virtual debit of $1 will happen automatically on your campus card account, followed by an immediate credit return that will balance out to zero each day; there will be no actual charge. After your card is validated, you may make any selection from numbers 10-69.

How to complete a PCR test

Individual self-administered tests are identified by using a barcode that is scanned at the time of sampling and links to your campus credentials. This identification step is critical to ensure accurate and timely results. View instructions on how to complete the self-administered test here. (Instructions in Spanish here). You may also watch a video about using the vending machines here.

Please prepare before you arrive:

A smartphone or mobile device*
Your campus ID card
Know your Active Directory (AD) username and password
Download the free UC San Diego app. For those who already have it, please be sure it is updated. You will need the updated app to scan the test kit.
Download the MyChart app and select UCSDHealth as the provider for MyUCSDChart. Please login using your Active Directory (AD) credentials rather than using the “Guest Login” or signing in with a previous username. This will prevent duplication of records and ensure your results are delivered correctly.

*For those who prefer an alternative, iPads are available at the Price Center clinic location, which is by appointment only.

Vending Machine Hours and Locations

PCR samples are picked up Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m. There is no pick up on Sunday. Rapid antigen tests are available 24/7.

Muir College | Roots Restaurant (map)
Seventh College | Next to the Parcel Center (map)
Nuevo East (Porton) | Outdoor Gym Area (map)
Price Center | First Floor Across from Burger King (map)*
Thurgood Marshall College Res Halls | TMC Residence Life Lobby (map)
Warren College | Across from the Residence Life Office (map)
Eleanor Roosevelt College | Next to the Laundry Room at Student Activity Center (map)
Village at Pepper Canyon | Lodge (map)
South Mesa | 9126 Laundry Room (map)
One Miramar | Next to the Parcel Center (map)
School of Medicine | Biomedical Research Facility II (map)
Revelle College | Argo Hall Parcel Center (map)
Campus Services Complex | Electric Shop (map)
South Parking Structure | Level 3 West Entrance (map)
Scripps Institution of Oceanography | Eckart Building Loading Dock (map)
Jacobs School of Engineering | Near Bear Statue (map)
Coast Apartments | Laundry Room (map)
Gilman Parking | Pepper Canyon Hall Corridor (map)
North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood (map)
Rita Atkinson Residences (map)
Torrey Pines Center South | Second floor breezeway near shuttle (map)

Symptoms

On-site employees with symptoms

If you develop new symptoms related to COVID-19, you must:

Test immediately. See test kit vending machine locations here.
Report your symptoms on the daily symptom screener.
Your supervisor will send you home.
- If you test negative, you may work onsite but must wear a mask until symptoms resolve. It is recommended you complete another rapid antigen test 1-2 days later, especially if you tested when symptoms first arrived.
- If you test positive, please see these instructions: Campus Employee Isolation and Return to Work Guidance.

Remote employees with symptoms

If you develop new symptoms related to COVID-19, you must:

Test immediately. It is recommended that you keep 2-3 rapid antigen tests at home in case of symptoms or exposure. These can be retrieved from campus test kit vending machines or ordered through the mail via Covid.gov/tests.
Report your symptoms on the daily symptom screener. If you are on a hybrid schedule, your supervisor will instruct you to stay home.
If you test positive, please see these instructions: Campus Employee Isolation and Return to Work Guidance.

Positive result

If you receive a positive COVID-19 test result from a PCR test or rapid antigen test (you must report rapid antigen test results on your MyChart account, see below), see instructions on how to isolate and when you may return to work here.

Required Reporting of Positive Results

If you are an employee who tested positive for COVID-19 at a non-UC San Diego Health location or from an at-home rapid antigen test, you must upload your test results directly to your MyUCSDChart. You should also report your positive test on your daily symptom screener and follow the guidance provided.
- To upload your test result, log into MyUCSDChart and select Menu > Questionnaire > UCSD EMPLOYEES ONLY - REPORT COVID HOME SELF-TEST then answer the questions and upload photo of your home test.
Per mandate of the County of San Diego, all positive test results must be reported to the County of San Diego, Public Health Department.

Supervisor Information

Instructions are available for supervisors and managers to support team members who test positive for COVID-19. This includes guidance for employees on how to report their positive test, how to get cleared to return to on-site work, and how to submit a Potential Workplace Exposure Notification.

Returning to Work

For employees working on-site and are tested at UC San Diego Health, you will be provided a Cleared for Work note by the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Learn more on the Exposure and Isolation page.
For those who test positive outside of UC San Diego Health, your healthcare provider should provide you with a Release from Work note initially, and later a Cleared for Work note to provide to your supervisor/HR contact.

Privacy of test results

If you are an on-site employee who tests positive at a UC San Diego Health location, your results will be shared with UC San Diego’s Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine (COEM) for campus employees or Infection Prevention/Clinical Epidemiology for Health employees and the UC San Diego Public Health COVID Response Team.
In accordance with applicable law, if you are an on-site employee, your supervisor will be informed of the reason why you are not permitted to work on-site to aid in contact tracing and safety efforts, but will be prevented from further sharing the information, to protect your privacy.
All test result information will be stored in the Epic health record system. For information about data sharing and privacy related to test results, visit UC San Diego Health Notice of Privacy Practices.

Support

Employees are encouraged to seek counseling support and may reach out to the UC San Diego Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP). The confidential service offers one-on-one counseling sessions via Zoom or phone. Current and returning clients can contact their counselor directly by phone or email; new clients can request an appointment online. For more information, contact fsap@ucsd.edu.