Long Beach City College has updated its COVID-19 protocols as a result of new mandates related to travel. Los Angeles County now requires that anyone who travels outside of the Southern California Region must self-quarantine for 10 days after they return (see attached “Mandatory Directive on Travel”).  The Southern California Region is defined as the counties of Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. 

Accordingly, if you traveled outside of the Southern California Region, you must self-quarantine for 10 days after your date of return prior to returning to Campus. “Self-quarantine” means to stay at home or another place of temporary shelter and away from contact with others, including those in your household (unless they are also under quarantine), for a period of 10 days, even if you don’t feel sick.

What should I do if I am scheduled to come to Campus, but have to self-quarantine?

• Essential Employees: If you are an employee scheduled to perform an essential function on Campus, notify your supervisor about the dates you cannot work on Campus.
• Winter 2021 Essential Labs Students: Notify your instructor about the dates you will have to miss class. 
• Students scheduled to pick up Chromebooks, food from the Viking Vault, or other items on Campus: Re-schedule your appointment to pick up the items until you have completed the 10-day self-quarantine.

Do I have leave rights as an employee if I must self-quarantine?

• Management and faculty may use any personal leave available, or unpaid leave once paid leave is exhausted. AFT employees may use any quarantine leave available to them within the parameters of their contract. 

What should I do if I feel sick or think I may have been exposed to COVID-19?

If you have COVID-19 symptoms—fever (above 100.4°) or chills, cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, feeling ill (chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat), loss of sense of smell, loss of sense of taste, nausea, or vomiting, diarrhea—or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or have questions about COVID-19:

• Students: Contact the Student Health Center at 562-938-4210
• Employees: Contact HR at 562-938-5250 or COVID-HRhelp@lbcc.edu.

Who is allowed on Campus?

LBCC remains closed to all but a few approved activities that are defined as “essential” in accordance with the health orders.  These orders continue to allow LBCC to operate as it has been doing for the past several months.  Conducting essential labs (in-person instruction for essential workforces as defined in the order for only those activities that cannot be accomplished through virtual learning) is the only on-Campus instructional activity allowed.  LBCC is also allowed to offer a few, limited on-Campus services to support students in need, such as Viking Vault food distributions.  Students who are not enrolled in essential labs or scheduled to pick up or return an item may not be on Campus.  The presence of faculty and staff on Campus has been restricted to only those who must be on Campus to perform an essential function.

Everyone who comes onto Campus must complete the Viking Health Screening before they arrive.

How can I help prevent the spread of COVID-19?

Below are some reminders to help slow the spread of COVID-19, which are even more important given the current rise in positive cases:

• Do not gather with anyone outside of your household.
• Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth when you leave your home.
• Avoid eating and drinking in public places to prevent the need to remove your face covering.
• Maintain six-foot physical distance from others, even when wearing a face covering.
• Avoid non-essential travel (more than two hours from home or to other states or countries).
• Stay home between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. unless you are an essential worker.

You can also register for CA Notify to add your phone to California’s exposure notification system to get COVID-19 exposure alerts and to protect those around you.  More information is available at https://canotify.ca.gov/.

Is there any news on vaccine distribution?

As of today, Long Beach hospitals and clinics have received their vaccines, and nursing and skilled care facility residents and staff are being vaccinated, with the goal of completing the first round of the vaccine for all medical response personnel by January 10.  Eventually, the vaccine will be available for LBCC employees, students, and the general public, but we do not yet know when that will be.  More information on the City of Long Beach vaccination plan is online at http://longbeach.gov/health/diseases-and-condition/information-on/coronavirus/vaccines/.

Where can I find the most recent health orders?

• City of Long Beach: http://www.longbeach.gov/health/diseases-and-condition/information-on/coronavirus/covid-19-orders/
• Los Angeles County: https://covid19.lacounty.gov/

We recognize that this is a difficult time and that the directives keep changing as many entities work together to slow the spread of COVID-19.  LBCC is here for you, whether you are an employee or a student.  Please know that we are doing all we can to follow the directives and keep everyone as informed and safe as possible.  Let’s remember to treat each other with kindness and patience as we enter this new year.