COVID-19 UPDATES
- Updates to the University's COVID-19 policy and protocols were announced on 12-12-2022.
- Daily symptom check emails have been discontinued. However, students should continue to self-check for symptoms and report positive test results to UCI's Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services at 949-824-2300.
- There are currently no PCR testing sites open on campus. Antigen test kits are available to all students and employees.
- Contact tracing will continue, and close contacts will be notified; classroom or meeting exposure notices will be discontinued.
- Student isolation spaces will continue to be available for on-campus residents.
- Bivalent booster is required under the UC Vaccine Policy.
- COVID-19 Bivalent Booster Vaccine Declination. Covered Individuals who choose to decline COVID-19 Bivalent Booster vaccination must complete a Vaccine Declination form and submit it to the location vaccine authority (i.e., Student Health Center) on or before January 6, 2023. Students should upload the Vaccine Declination Letter to the Student Health Patient Portal prior to the deadline.
- Any Covered Individual who is not vaccinated must observe additional non-pharmaceutical interventions if required by the university. Please follow current general campus recommendations, or requirements should they be applied, for masking and testing.
- Face coverings continue to be recommended for indoor public settings.
- Reduce personal and public health risk by staying up to date on the vaccine, wearing a face covering, and testing often, especially when symptoms are present.
- Visit UCIForward for additional information and continuous updates.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- COVID vaccines and vaccine booster shots are available at UC Student Health Center. Call 949-824-5304 to schedule an appointment at SHC. (Available for Students Only)
- Incoming students for Spring 2023 who remain non-compliant will have academic holds applied in April 2023 preventing Fall 2023 class enrollment. However, other enforcement measures (e.g., loss of WIFI access on campus) may be applied earlier.
- University of California COVID-19 vaccination policy, guidances and resources can be found here. This policy requires that all UCI students, staff and faculty be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before physically accessing the university’s locations and programs. This policy is subject to change as updated public health guidances are issued. Compliance is required no later than the first date of instruction of the academic term in which the student enters UCI.
- If you tested positive for COVID at any clinic other than the Student Health Center, please upload your results to the Student Health portal. In addition, please visit the campus "Quarantine and Isolation" webpage here for guidance and instructions if you tested positive. All general vaccine or testing related inquires should be directed to UCI's Contact Tracing & Vaccine Navigation Services team at contacttracing@uci.edu or at 949-824-2300.
- If you are a student covered by a health insurance plan other than UC SHIP; have COVID symptoms; and receive COVID testing at SHC, then you will be charged for the testing fees through your campus billing account. You would need to seek reimbursement for these costs from your health insurance plan. Symptomatic and asymptomatic testing is available at the campus testing site (Student Center) at no cost to students. However, this testing site will close effective 10-28-2022.
- Compliance deadline for the TB Screening and Immunizations mandate for incoming students entering UCI in Spring 2023 is the first date of instruction of the academic term (4/3/2023). All incoming students must comply with these requirements. Academic holds will be applied to non-compliant students preventing class enrollment in the following term.
- The flu vaccination is mandated for all students. Your flu vaccination must be received on or after August 1st (e.g., during the prior flu season) in order to be in compliance with this mandate. In accordance with the UC policy, students are expected to enter their flu vaccination date on the Student Health Patient Portal. Upload of flu vaccination record is optional. Visit SHC’s dedicated flu vaccination webpage here for additional information.
- Compliance with any immunization requirement is not fulfilled unless and until the student enters their vaccination dates and uploads their records to the Student Health Patient Portal and then verified by SHC nursing staff. For step-by-step instructions on how to upload your COVID-19 and other immunization records; enter your vaccine dates; and complete the TB Risk Screening Form on the portal, click here >>> Student Vaccination Upload Instructions. Note: Upload of flu vaccine record is optional. However, at a minimum, students must enter their flu vaccination date.
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TB Risk Screening and Immunizations (including COVID): |
All incoming students including Freshman, Transfer, Graduate and Law Students must comply with these health requirements by the first date of instructions of their respective academic term. For Spring Quarter 2023, the compliance deadline is Monday, April 3, 2023. Students entering UCI in Spring 2023 who remain non-compliant will be subject to class enrollment holds for Fall Quarter or Fall Semester (Law) 2023. Medical Students: See Immunization Requirements for Medical Students If you haven't completed these requirements by the deadline date, an academic hold will be placed onto your record by SHC and you will be unable to enroll in classes for the following term. In order to be in compliance, students must complete the TB Risk Screening Questionnaire; enter their vaccination dates; and upload their immunization record(s) online through the Student Health Patient Portal. SHC will notify the University Registrar to release the academic hold once compliance has been verified. Medical Students: SHC will defer to School of Medicine policy regarding placement of academic holds for non-compliance with these requirements. |
If a certain vaccine(s) is not available to an international student in their home country, the students should otherwise complete all other requirements noted above. However, the students will be required to obtain the remaining vaccine(s) upon their arrival on-campus.
To ensure a safe and healthy campus community, the University expects and strongly recommends that students complete ALL immunization requirements PRIOR TO ARRIVING ON CAMPUS.
For step-by-step instructions on how to upload your immunization records, enter your vaccine dates and complete the TB Risk Screening Form on the Student Health Patient Portal, click here >>> Imms TB Completion Process
These requirements are satisfied by: 1) Completing the Tuberculosis Screening Questionnaire online; 2) Entering your vaccination dates online; and 3) Scanning/uploading your vaccination records online via the Student Health Patient Portal. Refer to the step-by-step instructions provided on this page and other important information pertaining to these health requirements.
Remember!
- You are not compliant with the health requirements until you logon to the Student Health Patient Portal and complete items #1, 2, 3 above. Each item must be completed in order to be deemed compliant.
- You are NOT COMPLIANT with the IMMUNIZATION requirements if you simply UPLOAD your immunization records without completing the Immunization Form and TB Risk Screening Form on the portal.
- If you are deemed to be High Risk based upon your responses on the TB Risk Screening Form, then you must either obtain TB testing at SHC or provide results from prior TB testing that occurred within twelve (12) months of entry to UCI.
- Please complete the Immunization Form on the portal before you upload your records.
- New, incoming Students: You will be subject to an ACADEMIC HOLD and unable to enroll in classes for the term following your entering term if non-compliant.
- For problems logging onto this portal, activating your UCInetID or other technical issues, please contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) help desk at 949-824-2222 or online at https://www.oit.uci.edu/.
Students who do not show risk factors for TB as indicated by their responses on the High Risk TB Screening Questionnaire (found online on the Student Health Patient Portal) are not required to complete/submit a TB Health Assessment Form to the Student Health Center.
Medical students: Please refer to the Immunization Requirements for Medical Students webpage for information and instructions specific to the School of Medicine.
A Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) is a document, produced by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), that informs vaccine recipients - or their parents or legal representatives - about the benefits and risks of a vaccine they are receiving. As a patient, you should receive a VIS from your provider for each vaccine that has been recommended for you prior to receiving the vaccine. Please visit the CDC website for the Vaccine Information Statement pertaining to the specific vaccine that you will be receiving (CDC Vaccine Information Statements) as well as additional information (CDC VIS Information).
Please visit here to request an exemption, exception or deferral from one or more of the UC mandated immunizations including COVID-19.
Your vaccination record (sometimes referred to as your immunization record) provides a history of all of the vaccines you received as a child and adult. These records come in different forms but the more common examples include: the "yellow" card (i.e., International Certificate of Vaccination); immunization records maintained by your primary care physician or other licensed healthcare provider either in electronic or hard copy format; and records maintained by your elementary or high school.
If the student does not have a copy of their official immunization records including TB screening or testing, they must contact the office of their primary care physician or other licensed healthcare provider unrelated to them and obtain documentation reflecting compliance with these health requirements.
Immunization Registries: Another potential source for obtaining copies of your immunization records is an Immunization Registry. These registries are secure computer systems that store children’s immunization records. These registries can only be used by doctors, hospitals, public health departments and other selected programs that serve children. The goal of these registries is to help kids get their shots on time and stay healthy.
The California Immunization Registry is referred to as CAIR, and the Student Health Center's electronic health record system is interfaced with CAIR to upload your immunization records. The California Department of Public Health) has allowed digital access to one’s personal COVID-19 vaccine record through CAIR, and recently expanded to include ALL vaccines. This new Digital Vaccine Record (DVR) portal provides a much-desired service, giving California residents and our Student Health Center easy access to your immunization history. For those who received vaccines outside of California, please check with your State's Immunization Registry
To upload your immunization and TB records directly into your SHC electronic health record via the Student Health Patient Portal, please follow the instructions shown above in the section entitled How To Comply With Your Tuberculosis and Immunization Requirements. If you experience problems related to uploading your records via the portal, please email shc-immunization@uci.edu. You will receive a reply within 24-48 hours.
For general information and questions related to Student Health, please visit the FAQ page.