SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Tuesday marks a key deadline for all students and staff at San Diego State and Cal State San Marcos when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine booster. All residential students and student-athletes eligible for the booster are required to have the COVID-19 booster on file with the universities by Tuesday, Jan. 18. The booster requirement applies to the entire Cal State system.
This comes one day before the spring semester begins at SDSU remotely for at least two weeks. Cal State San Marcos will begin online on Monday, Jan. 24 for two weeks.
Cal State San Marcos released the following information to students on their Twitter page on Jan. 5.
Information from SDSU Student Health Services outlines the booster requirements for students, staff and faculty:
"The California State University system announced on Dec. 22, 2021 that all students, faculty and staff in the system will be required to have a COVID-19 booster on file to access campus facilities and programs in spring 2022.
The university's new requirement will take effect immediately upon implementation of the policy; however, represented employees will not be subject to the booster requirement until the CSU concludes its meet-and-confer process with its labor unions.
At SDSU, and effective Jan. 18, 2022, students, faculty and staff eligible for the COVID-19 booster will be required to have the COVID-19 booster on file with the university."
For students and student-athletes, and faculty and staff who did got get a booster but are eligible there was a testing requirement implemented as well:
"Students who do not get a booster will no longer be considered fully vaccinated, and will be required to have a negative COVID-19 test on file with SDSU at least every five (5) days.
Faculty and staff who do not get a booster will be required to have a negative COVID-19 test on file with SDSU at least every fourteen (14) days.
Those currently on an approved religious or medical exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine are still highly encouraged to get vaccinated and, when able, a booster. If unable to do so, you will be required to continue to adhere to the university’s current testing requirements and the facial covering policy for unvaccinated individuals in indoor and outdoor settings.
If you have received two shots of either the Moderna or Pfizer series less than 5 months prior to Jan. 18, or if you have received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine less than 2 months prior to Jan. 18, you are NOT yet eligible for a booster, and will not be entered into this testing protocol until the date you become eligible for a booster."