Safer Return at Cal Poly Pomona

Change in Campus Masking Requirements Effective April 2

Date: 3/24/2022
From: Safer Return at Cal Poly Pomona
Subject: Change in Campus Masking Requirements Effective April 2

Beginning April 2, Cal Poly Pomona will align our mask/face covering protocols with Los Angeles County Department of Public Health: When indoors, masks will be strongly recommended but not required.

This change is based on the encouraging data of low positive daily cases and hospitalizations in the region and on campus, the expert recommendations of our public health officials, and in accordance with the University Risk Response Plan. The university will continue to provide medical grade surgical masks and KN95 masks to all students, faculty and staff at no charge. Though no longer required starting April 2, wearing a mask indoors is strongly recommended and it continues to be a highly effective way to protect yourself and our community from the spread of the COVID-19 virus and variants.

As the pandemic continues and evolves, we know there will be differing comfort levels with the changing protocols. The lifting of the mask mandate means that faculty, staff and students cannot require others to wear or not wear a mask in classrooms, labs, offices, meeting spaces and other indoor locations. We ask that everyone respect individual decisions made by our campus colleagues and community members regarding the use of masks in settings where they are not required.

In specific settings, masks will continue to be required:

  • Healthcare, including the Student Health Center, vaccine clinic locations, Public Health Testing Site (when not actively testing)
  • Public transportation, such as Foothill Transit and Metrolink. The Bronco Shuttle is categorized as private transportation, and masks are strongly recommended.
  • Quarantine/Isolation
    • Everyone who is in quarantine/isolation must wear a highly protective mask if they must be around others.
    • For employees: If released early from quarantine/isolation, employees must wear a highly protective mask at the workplace for a total of 10 days after a positive test result or exposure to a confirmed positive case.

In addition, the university will continue to support these critical efforts to reduce the spread of the virus, which are embedded in our Health and Safety Plan:

COVID-19 Testing: Free and voluntary PCR testing is available to all students, faculty and staff. If you have travelled recently or engaged in activities that may have put you at higher risk, we encourage you to get tested at the CLA Paseo.

COVID-19 Reporting: If you recently tested positive for COVID-19, have symptoms or had a close contact, you need to fill out the Self-Reporting Form.

Get Vaccinated: The best way to protect yourself and our community is to be up to date with your vaccinations, including getting a booster shot when you are eligible. On March 28 and April 4, the university will host pop-up vaccine clinics in the SSB. Or, you can search for a vaccination site via MyTurn.

The university will continue to monitor local health conditions, adhere to public health mandates, and follow our University Risk Response Plan, which prioritizes health and safety while also protecting and supporting our mission of student success. As the pandemic’s course is fluid and evolving, public health officials are actively tracking regional transmission levels and other conditions, including Variants of Concern — conditions that may trigger a countywide mask mandate. Similarly, the university may reinstitute the mask requirement under certain conditions, such as a cluster or outbreak on campus. If conditions change, we will follow the guidance from public health experts, update our Safer Return protocols to protect health and safety, and provide timely and transparent communication to the campus.

Lifting the mask mandate is an encouraging milestone in our fight against COVID-19. It means that our collective efforts — including vaccination, masking and incident investigation — are making a difference in reducing the virus’ transmission. While the pandemic is not over and no one can predict what the future holds, we remain hopeful that we are moving in the right direction so that we can be Safely Together.

Safer Return Task Force