Dear Dolphins:
With new information regarding the most recent COVID variants in mind, I am writing to provide updates on the following: (1) our COVID-19 campus cases, (2) recent changes to definitions and communication protocols announced by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and (3) ongoing conversations with Ventura County Public Health (VCPH).
Campus Positivity Rates and Cases
For the week of April 11-15, 199 on-campus tests were conducted with zero positive results. Positivity rates since Spring Break have included 977 on-campus tests with 13 positive cases for a positivity rate of 1.33%. Overall for the semester, we’ve had a total of 21 positive cases from 2821 total tests – for a testing positivity rate of 0.74%.
In April, we have had 9 reported cases thus far with potential campus impact – however, there has been no spread through classroom exposures. Additional information for on-campus positive cases with potential exposures is always available on our website.
CDPH Updates
As of April 6, CDPH’s updated quarantine recommendations for asymptomatic exposed individuals and their revised definitions for close contact and high-risk contacts, defined below, have been in effect.
Close Contact: someone sharing the same indoor airspace, e.g., public buildings, private home/residence, clinic waiting room, vehicles, etc., for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during an infected person's (laboratory-confirmed or confirmed via clinical diagnosis) infectious period.
Note: You may notice more exposure notifications than previously due to the CDPH change in definition of “close contact,” which removes the indicator of six feet. Please note that more frequent notifications of exposures via campus global emails does not necessarily mean more positive cases or exposures.
High-Risk Contact: someone who may experience severe illness if they become infected with COVID-19 or for whom the transmission potential is high (high intensity/duration of indoor exposure). Examples of high-risk contacts include immunocompromised persons and household contacts with an infected individual.
Updated Data Points: We are continuing our campus mitigation protocols, regular communication with VCPH, and vigilant monitoring of on- and off-campus COVID-19-related data. The latter include positivity rates for on-campus testing, case counts, and exposures; regional hospitalizations, ICU numbers, and cases per 100,000 in Ventura County. The current 7-day average in Ventura County is 4.8 cases per 100,000. In addition, the CDC County Tracker continues to show Ventura, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara counties to be in the low range.
Events
University event protocols have been updated to reflect the most current guidance and recommendations from CDPH and VCPH. Please visit our COVID-19 webpages for more information.
Additionally, the Commencement Committee continues to work on plans that include four ceremonies over two days – May 21 and 22. Graduates and up to eight (8) guests must pre-register to attend ceremonies. Masks are not required but highly recommended. Each ceremony will be livestreamed so additional family and friends can view the celebration. Additional details and updates can be found by visiting the Commencement 2022 webpage.
I wish everyone a successful conclusion to the Spring semester and look forward to celebrating with our entire campus community at Commencement.
Please know, we will continue to monitor conditions with vigilance in consultation with VCPH and provide updates to the campus community accordingly. Please reach out to csuci.news@csuci.edu if you have any questions or comments.
Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President