CSUB students, employees must be vaccinated before coming to campus this fall

Receiving a COVID vaccine continues to be the best way to mitigate the spread of the virus

By California State University, Bakersfield

July 27^th, 2021

The California State University announced today that faculty, staff and students accessing campus this fall will be required to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus to protect the CSU family from the alarming rise in infections. CSUB students and employees must certify they have been immunized prior to Sept. 30. Details to submit secure vaccination information or apply for a medical or religious exemption are forthcoming.

“The current surge in COVID cases due to the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant is an alarming new factor that we must consider as we look to maintain the health and well-being of students, employees and visitors to our campus this fall,” said CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro. “Receiving the COVID vaccine continues to be the best way to mitigate the spread of the virus. We urge all members of the CSU community to be vaccinated as soon as possible, and announcing this requirement now allows members of the CSU community to receive multiple doses of vaccine as we head into the beginning of the fall term.”

California State University, Bakersfield President Lynnette Zelezny said in an email to the university community Tuesday: “CSUB is in full support of the chancellor’s decision to prioritize the health and safety of our campus family, and we urge all unvaccinated members of our university to begin the vaccination process without delay to meet the requirement and rejoin campus life.”

The CSU COVID-19 policy will require students, faculty and staff to securely upload vaccination information or submit a medical or religious exemption by Sept. 30. The new policy and the procedure for the exemption process will be shared with the campus community in the coming days.

CSUB will continue to require that face coverings be worn at all times indoors at both campuses. Masking outdoors is necessary only if social distancing of six feet cannot be observed.

Among other safety precautions at CSUB, daily self-screenings are mandatory for those coming to campus via the CSUB mobile app, the website or by contacting Student Health Services.

CSUB will schedule free testing, beginning Aug. 2, and everyone is welcome to be tested. Please review our testing schedule - which will be updated frequently – here.

“This decision is a step forward for the greater good,” President Zelezny said. “We all wish to be together, but it is imperative that our return to campus be conducted safely for our own health and to protect those we love. Our ’Runners are the definition of resilient, and we will rise to this challenge as we do all challenges: Together.”