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Extension of Routine Surveillance COVID Testing Exemption in July for those Employees and Patients who are Fully Vaccinated

The benefits of being vaccinated for COVID-19 continue!

During May and June, CDCR and CCHCS exempted fully vaccinated staff and inmates from routine surveillance testing for COVID. Although we continue to identify cases and clusters of COVID infection among unvaccinated employees, it appears that vaccinated staff have not contributed to these outbreaks.

We continue to monitor the spread of newer more transmissible COVID variants, some of which have been shown to be more likely to lead to hospitalization and death. We encourage those of you who are not yet vaccinated to request one now so that you and your families are protected going forward.

CDCR and CCHCS are extending the reprieve from routine surveillance testing for all fully vaccinated staff and inmates through the month of July. During this time, CCHCS will continue to monitor the health of our staff and residents to determine if routine testing can be stopped altogether for fully vaccinated persons. Testing will continue for inmates and employees who are identified as close contacts of active cases. Testing for inmates will also continue as described in the current movement matrix, as part of the in person visiting program, and prior to dental encounters.

If you are vaccinated:

  • You have markedly reduced your chances of being infected with COVID-19
  • If you do become infected, you have markedly reduced your chances of spreading the virus to loved ones and coworkers
  • You have reduced your chances of being hospitalized and/or dying by over 90% if you do contract COVID-19

Additionally:

  • You are helping us reach community immunity and safeguarding our vulnerable patients, staff and neighbors
  • You are helping our schools and businesses in the community reopen safely
  • You are putting us one step closer to ending this pandemic

Some of the benefits of being fully vaccinated:

  • You can gather indoors (outside of work) with others without a mask
  • You can gather outdoors with others, unmasked, with no regard to social distancing
  • You can now resume a more normal life like going to movie theaters, church, grocery stores, restaurants and gyms without a mask
  • And, of course, there is no need for routine surveillance testing at work

If you were vaccinated outside of CDCR, please refer to the May 19, 2021, memo titled, “Submission of COVID-19 Vaccination Record” for instructions on how to incorporate that information to your CDCR Employee Vaccination Record.