Every week, students are expected to take a COVID-19 rapid test as a prerequisite for being on campus. For the first time on May 2, that expectation was strictly enforced.
On May 2, students filled out the daily pre-screening feature like any other day. The difference for some was instead of being given a green check for clearance, they were halted with a red exclamation point for lack of weekly testing.
The result does not constitute a change in policy, but rather a strict implementation of it.
“I think people were seeing a relaxation of all the COVID-19 requirements and we kind of got into this false sense of security,” head of the Citrus College COVID-19 workgroup Robert Sammis said. “(The thought) was that there was this decline in COVID-19 but in fact case numbers are going up again.”
In past weeks, weekly COVID-19 testing was softly enforced with the hope students would fill out the pre-screening truthfully and receive their weekly COVID-19 test, Sammis said.
Spring break marked a shift in that attitude, Chief Informations Services Officer and COVID-19 workgroup member Robert Hughes said.
Hughes said Student Health Services directed his department to give red non-pass marks to students after spring break. This mark was absolved when the student received their first weekly COVID-19 test since returning from break.
“Testing is important for all of us so that we are limiting the potential exposure on the campus,” Sammis said.
Lines for weekly testing on May 2 were much longer than in past weeks, partly due to this change in enforcement.
Students and faculty were not notified of the influx of red passes given to students who had not tested by May 2.
There was not a notification because students should not be marking they have been tested for the week if they have not been tested, Sammis said.
For the remainder of the semester, testing will be required and checked at the beginning of the week. The COVID-19 workgroup will decide if testing will be required for future semesters, Sammis said.
