(909) 621-8000
- COVID Emergencies
- COVID Isolation
- COVID Overview
- COVID Testing
- COVID Vaccines
- COVID Vending Machines
- Rapid Antigen Testing
After a lab-confirmed positive COVID-19 test result, you should not participate in routine asymptomatic screening tests (e.g., weekly testing) for a period of 90 (ninety) days. Public health data shows that individuals may continue to test positive with PCR tests on and off for up to that time even though they are no longer infectious/contagious. If you develop new symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 within this time period, please seek medical guidance (SHS, 7C.Health, primary care provider) to ask what type of testing, if any, would be of diagnostic value to the clinician. Only lab-confirmed positive results will exempt you from SHS testing for ninety days. At- home testing will not be automatically accepted for this exemption.
SHS offers convenient saliva PCR testing on-demand at vending machines across campus and at SHS services during business hours. Students, faculty, and staff concerned with exposure to Covid, experiencing symptoms or worried they may have Covid may seek out testing.
Yes, this is correct. Effective March 13, 2023, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health no longer requires proof of a negative viral test to leave isolation. As long as your symptoms are mild and improving, and you haven’t had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines, contact tracing should be able to release you from isolation after speaking with you on Day 6. However, you will still be required to wear a well-fitting mask over your mouth and nose when around others, especially indoors, even after your isolation ends, until Day 11.
You can receive at-home antigen tests through:
- Your insurance company (most insurances are required to cover the costs of up to 8 at-home antigen tests per month)
- https://www.covid.gov/tests – you may be eligible to receive a limited quantity of test kits directly from the federal government, delivered by the United States Postal Service
- Purchase from pharmacies (e.g. Hendricks, CVS, Walgreens), other retailers (e.g., Walmart and Target), or online (e.g., Amazon)
SHS does not distribute any at-home antigen test kits. However, antigen testing may be performed for students during a visit with a SHS provider if they suspect their symptoms may be due to COVID-19.
No. COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, will not affect your viral test result. If you test positive after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, it is considered a true positive.
If you test positive using an at-home test, you are still legally required to isolate. Please inform your dean (students) or supervisor (employees) as soon as possible. You should also notify the SHS contact tracing team* by email: contact.tracers@claremont.edu. However, only lab-confirmed positive results would exempt you from SHS saliva PCR testing for ninety days. At-home testing will not be automatically accepted for this exemption. Once you have recovered and been released from isolation, you should confirm your at-home result using SHS saliva PCR testing. If you test positive on the saliva PCR test, it will confirm the previous at-home test result, and you will then be considered exempt from asymptomatic testing for a period of ninety days from your at-home test date. You would not be required to isolate again if we were aware of your at-home test result before your saliva PCR test. If you test negative on the saliva PCR test, we would consider your at-home test result likely a false positive, and you would not be considered exempt from further testing as needed or required.
* Pomona/Pitzer employees should reach out to their Hamilton Health Box instead of SHS contact tracing.
If you receive a positive test result from an outside testing location, you are still legally required to isolate. You should inform your dean (students) or supervisor (employees) as soon as you receive your positive test result. You should also inform the SHS contact tracing team* by email: contact.tracers@claremont.edu. Please attach a copy of your positive lab report to the email. After the SHS contact tracing team has completed your case intake, you will be considered exempt from asymptomatic testing for a period of ninety days from the date of your positive lab test. If you develop new symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 within this time period, please seek medical guidance (SHS, 7C.Health, primary care provider) to ask what type of testing, if any, would be of diagnostic value to the clinician.
* Pomona/Pitzer employees should reach out to their Hamilton Health Box instead of SHS contact tracing.
It is your responsibility to complete the case intake questionnaire and submit it to the contact tracing department. Contact tracing department will then process your intake and reach back out to you with your isolation dates. Your positive test result also includes instructions on completing the contact tracing case intake questionnaire. Compliance with contact tracing is a requirement of a student’s enrollment and an employee’s employment. This case intake questionnaire should be completed within 24 hours of your positive diagnosis. Failure to comply may result in sanctions from your campus/employer. If you have trouble completing this questionnaire, please call the contact tracing line at 909-607- 9995 or speak with your dean (students) or supervisor (employees) for assistance.
Repeat saliva PCR testing is not allowed after a positive result. Repeat testing within 90 days of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis may lead to sanctions from your campus/employer. Repeat test orders may also be canceled and not processed by the lab.
If you test positive, please isolate yourself immediately. Employees should notify their supervisor, and if the employee is on campus, they should leave campus immediately after letting their supervisor know. Students should isolate in their residences. Students living on campus should also expect a campus representative to reach out to them to discuss the next steps. If you have received your positive test result after 4:00 p.m., this outreach will likely occur the following morning, probably soon after 9:00 a.m.
Your positive test result comes with these instructions and instructions on completing a contact tracing case intake questionnaire. Compliance with contact tracing is a requirement of a student’s enrollment and an employee’s employment. This case intake questionnaire should be completed within 24 hours of your positive diagnosis. Failure to comply may result in sanctions from your campus/employer. If you are having trouble completing this questionnaire, please call the contact tracing line at 909-607-9995 or speak with your dean (students) or supervisor (employees).
It is the student’s/employee’s responsibility to log in and check their result every time they take a test. It is also their responsibility to speak with a testing supervisor if they haven’t received their results within 48 hours. There are no automatic phone calls for positive results, so you cannot assume that your test result was normal if you don’t receive a phone call.
You should expect to receive your results within 24 to 48 hours. You should receive a notification on your campus email account and a text message if you have provided us with your US-based cell phone number. If you have not received a notification of your results within 48 hours, please submit a ticket to us for troubleshooting.
You should expect to receive your results within 24 to 48 hours. You should receive a notification on your campus email account and a text message if you have provided us with your US-based cell phone number. If you have not received a notification of your results within 48 hours, please submit a ticket to us for troubleshooting.
You can get a test kit 24/7 at one of our six Covid test kit vending machines located across the campus – see this page for location details. However, please note that some campuses require you to seek authorization before testing at SHS. Also, some campuses use other providers to test their staff instead of SHS. Please refer to the testing matrix to determine if you need to go to a different location or seek authorization before testing.
You should get tested if:
- you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19,
- you are notified that you have been a close contact of a known COVID-19 case,
- you wish to know your current COVID-19 status (e.g., for recent/upcoming travel, sporting event, or social gathering)
- OR
- your campus/employer requires
Please submit a ticket to us for troubleshooting.
If you have symptoms, test immediately. Upon confirmation of your test results, you will be contacted regarding next steps. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover without medical care. Do not visit public areas and do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. Take care of yourself. Get rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better. Stay in touch with your doctor. Call SHS (909-621-8222) before seeking care medical care. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency. Do not travel and avoid public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis if possible.
TCC supports the personal choice to wear a mask as an effective strategy for individuals seeking to protect themselves and their colleagues from COVID-19. We encourage anyone who wishes to wear a mask to do so and will continue to have KN95 masks available for pickup around campuses.
We recognize that some people may not be ready to stop wearing masks while others are eager to do so. Please continue to be compassionate and respectful of personal decisions regarding masking that fall within TCC’s regulations. Masks remain required in SHS and MCAPS.
State COVID Information:
L.A. County Department of Public Health COVID-19 site
The Claremont Colleges COVID Pages:
Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
COVID-19 can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and do not know that they are infected. Wearing face masks provide proven protection against the spread of illness as masks provide an extra layer to help prevent the respiratory droplets from traveling in the air and onto other people.
Yes, watch the ShieldT3 ‘How To’ video for the full visual process of using the testing kit vending machines – Watch Here
Registered students and staff (staff who have completed appropriate consent documents with their campus) have existing portals with Student Health Services. If you are having trouble logging in, students please contact Student Health Services and staff please contact your HR department.
Drop off your specimen shortly after collection (within 2 hours). Drop off your sample in the drop off bin adjacent to the vending machine. Your sample will be picked up weekdays at 1pm and 5pm. Samples should not be dropped off from Fridays at 5pm to Saturdays at 5pm. Samples provided during this period will become expired and rejected by the lab.
Yes, Student Health Services has vending machines dispensing FREE self-testing kits! Get your saliva PCR test on-demand today at one of the 6 vending machines across campus!
Vending Machine Locations
Get your saliva PCR test on-demand today at one of the 6 vending machines across campus! Students and staff can use any vending machine on campus, regardless of attending institution.
- The Claremont Colleges Library – South Entrance Hallway – 800 N Dartmouth Ave
- Pomona College – Walker Hall lounge – 700 North College Way
- Scripps College – 240 House front conference room – 240 11th Street
- Claremont McKenna College – Emmett Breezeway – 390 E 9th Street
- Harvey Mudd College – Platt Campus Center living room – 340 E Foothill Blvd
- Pitzer College – Atherton Hall northwest entrance – 1150 Pitzer Service Rd
Many viruses frequently change through mutation. These mutations add up and create slightly different versions of the virus, called “variants.” Sometimes new variants appear and then disappear. Other times, new variants stay around. They are called variants of concern if there is evidence that they spread more easily, cause more serious illness, are harder to detect, treat or prevent with vaccines. Scientists continue to study and track these variants as they evolve.
Many variants of COVID-19 have emerged in the United States. At this point, the original version of the virus that was spreading in January 2020 is no longer circulating.
Yes, according to Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, you are legally required to isolate after receiving a positive COVID-19 test result.
Yes, the saliva test is indeed a PCR test.
There is a potential for injection site reactions (redness, swelling, and pain) as well as fever, fatigue, headache, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and/or joint pain. Similar adverse reactions are commonly seen with other vaccines as well. To ensure the vaccine is effective, it is important that you receive the second dose (for a two-dose vaccine series such as Pfizer & Moderna) even if you experience side effects after the first dose.
No. The COVID-19 vaccine does not (and simply cannot) give anyone COVID-19, as it does not contain the virus at all. The mRNA vaccine works by encouraging your own cells to make copies of a special protein that is contained in the coronavirus. This helps your immune system recognize the real virus—and fight it off—if it ever enters your body. The protein is not a virus, and does not cause any type of infection.
No. The mRNA in the first two COVID-19 vaccines does not go into the nucleus of your cells (where your DNA is located). All the mRNA does is stimulate your cells to make copies of a certain protein to help your immune system, and then it breaks down and is eliminated from your body. It does not affect your DNA in any way.
While it’s true that the COVID-19 vaccine was developed quickly, it does have enough safety and efficacy data to be trustworthy. Here’s why these companies were able to make life-saving COVID-19 vaccines so quickly:
- Both Moderna and Pfizer used a method of vaccine creation that has been in development for several years, enabling both companies to start working on their vaccines early on in the pandemic.
- Researchers did not skip any safety or testing steps; rather, they worked on more than one step at a time to enable them to gather the necessary information more quickly.
- The first two vaccines to hit the market were developed using messenger RNA, or mRNA—a cutting-edge approach that is much faster than more old-fashioned ways of making vaccines.
- Unlike less-common diseases, COVID-19 is very contagious and very widespread, so it only took a few months collect enough data to learn that the vaccines were effective.
The myth that COVID-19 affects fertility first showed up on social media, when a fake report stated that the coronavirus spike protein was identical to another spike protein known as “syncitin-1,” which plays a key role in placental growth and attachment in the early stages of pregnancy. According to the fake report, the COVID-19 vaccine would teach a woman’s immune system not only to fight off the coronavirus, but also syncitin-1, causing problems with fertility.
In reality, the two spike proteins are completely different—they just happen to look somewhat similar in appearance. The COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t cause a woman’s body to reject the syncitin-1 protein; in fact, if this were true, then most women would already be infertile, as the common cold virus also has a very similar spike protein structure.
Yes. There are many strict protections in place and steps taken during vaccine development to ensure that any vaccine authorized for use is proven to be safe and effective. Vaccine developers are required to go through a rigorous, multi-stage process including large (phase III) trials that involve tens of thousands of participants. After the clinical trials show that the vaccine is safe and effective, a series of independent reviews and evidence are required to demonstrate efficacy and safety. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for making sure that FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Please note that this list does not include all possible COVID-19 symptoms.
Some of the emergency warning signs* for COVID-19 are listed below. If someone is showing any of these signs, they should seek emergency medical care immediately
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Bluish lips or face
*This list is not inclusive of all the possible emergency symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
If you feel you are having a medical emergency,
On-campus students: immediately call Campus Safety at 909-607-2000 (x72000) or dial 911
Off-campus/local students: call 911 immediately
Faculty/staff: immediately call Campus Safety at 909-607-2000 (x72000) or dial 911
The Claremont Colleges consortial COVID-19 website was last updated in March 2023.
