Dear Beach Community: 

Earlier this spring, we shared with the campus community that we would continue to monitor the evolution of the pandemic to assess if further modification of our long-standing COVID protocols would be appropriate.

In light of the BA.2 subvariant that has become prevalent over the past few weeks, we will keep our current face-covering guidance and the daily health screening questionnaire in place through the rest of the spring semester. 

Beginning on June 1, assuming positive COVID news, we plan to discontinue remaining face-covering requirements as well as the online daily health pre-screen. Our vaccination requirements will, however, remain in place.

As this pandemic has taught us, surprises likely await us in the future. We will alert you if and when prevailing conditions call for a change in our plans or when any new safety protocols must be implemented.

As we shift to a disease-management model reliant on personal responsibility, the precaution of electing to continue wearing a face covering — or needing to due to a health condition — should be respected. And particularly if there is a variant surge in the future, the wearing of a face covering indoors will remain highly recommended.

As we move forward, please stay mindful of your health status as you self-monitor for any emerging symptoms. Take advantage of free testing on campus and through other providers if you believe you were exposed to the virus. Do not come to campus if you are ill.

Be sure to get boosted, too, if you haven't already done so. Those over the age of 50, as well as those with certain health considerations, were recently approved for a second booster. Information about vaccinations is available on our COVID-19 information website.

I wish you every success in these final weeks of the semester.

Jane Close Conoley, Ph.D
President
California State University, Long Beach