12/28/2021 - New COVID-19 cases reported to Caltech

To: The Campus Community
From: Jennifer Howes, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Wellness

Since our last update on December 23, Student Wellness Services (SWS) has learned that 12 members of the Caltech community have tested positive for COVID-19.

All 12 cases were detected by tests performed off campus and reported through the COVID-19 Reporting Application:

• An undergraduate student who lives in Caltech housing tested positive on December 19 and last accessed campus on December 13.
• An undergraduate student who does not live in Caltech housing tested positive on December 22.
• A graduate student who does not live in Caltech housing tested positive on December 23.
• A graduate student who lives in Caltech housing tested positive on December 23 and last accessed campus on December 22.
• An employee tested positive on December 20 and last accessed campus on December 8.
• An employee tested positive on December 21 and last accessed campus December 14.
• An employee tested positive on December 21 and last accessed campus on December 16.
• An employee tested positive on December 21 and last accessed campus on December 17.
• An employee tested positive on December 22 and last accessed campus on December 20.
• An employee tested positive on December 23. 
• An employee tested positive on December 23 and last accessed campus on December 21. 
• An employee tested positive on December 23 and last accessed campus December 23.

Information about when three of these individuals last accessed campus is still being gathered, and will be posted in the Case Log on Together.Caltech.edu once available. 

The affected individuals are now isolating. In collaboration with the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD), SWS will identify and notify anyone in the Caltech community who may have had close contact with these individuals. Anyone found to be at risk of exposure will be provided specific instructions for quarantining and isolation.

This brings the total number of reported COVID-19 cases among members of the Caltech campus community and off-campus facilities to 311 since March 2020. Please note that the Institute will next update the Caltech COVID-19 Dashboard and send out a COVID-19 case report as necessary on December 30. We will resume regular weekday reports as needed beginning January 3, 2022.

The Institute's vaccination policies require that all employees and students document their full vaccination status or have an approved exemption on file, and that those with an exemption participate in mandatory twice-weekly surveillance testing. In response to guidance from the CDC and the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the Institute announced on December 17 that students and staff will now be required to also receive a COVID-19 booster shot. Details on how to submit proof of the booster will be provided shortly.

All undergraduate students—regardless of vaccination status and living location—and graduate students living in Caltech housing are also required to participate in the twice-weekly surveillance testing program. The Institute's self-collection surveillance testing program is facilitated through an on-site laboratory located in the Beckman Institute. Fully vaccinated employees and visitors or external affiliates who report to campus for work or other activities are able to voluntarily opt-in to participate in the program.

It is imperative that all members of our community remain diligent in adhering to all preventative measures and to county and city health orders that have been implemented to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The safety and well-being of Caltech's students, staff, and faculty is our top priority. All members of the Caltech community are expected to:

• Immediately notify SWS if you are ill, have had a positive test for COVID-19, or have been exposed to anyone with a positive test for COVID-19.
• Stay home if you are ill, have a fever, or have otherwise been instructed to quarantine or isolate.
• Participate in Caltech's surveillance testing program when you report to campus if you have an approved exemption, are an enrolled undergraduate student, or are a graduate student living in Caltech housing.
• Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Wear an appropriate face covering when indoors.

More information about Caltech's response to the pandemic can be found on the Caltech Together coronavirus website. Reports of illness, testing metrics, and confirmed case counts can be found on a dedicated dashboard. Please note that JPL tracks COVID-19 cases separately and is not included in these data.