Four CSULB students, one staff member have tested positive for COVID-19, all off-campus

According to President Jane Close Conoley, four Long Beach State students and one staff member have tested positive for coronavirus as of Sept. 21, none of whom have been on campus. 

Since March, there have been 76 total positive cases associated with the university, the majority of which have been off campus, according to Kimberly Fodran, medical director of Student Health Services. 

The university has had no residential students test positive for COVID-19 and has had “relatively few positive cases since the start of the semester,” Fodran said.

“We encourage our students to remain vigilant and protect the wellbeing of our campus community by avoiding gatherings and carefully monitoring for symptoms,” Fodran said.

As the National Collegiate Athletics Association voted Sept. 16 to begin the 2020-21 college basketball season on Nov. 25, student athletes are slated to begin outdoor instruction Oct. 1 and preseason practice Oct. 14. 

Conoley said that the health center will be testing the men’s and women’s basketball teams in the near future with rapid tests that yield results within no more than 72 hours. 

Come spring, however, the Beach is exploring other sites to test nearly 400 student athletes and coaches twice a week per NCAA regulations. The testing would cost the school roughly $200 per test.

“This is going to be a scheduling nightmare, as well as extremely expensive, because that means all of our athletes are there at the same time,” Conoley said. “We probably don’t at the moment have enough staff to manage all those competitions.”

Fodran said the health center routinely monitors all students and, in the case that an on-campus resident tests positive, the student will transition from their room in Parkside College to a quarantine space in Hillside College. 

Students in quarantine will have their meals delivered to their rooms, and SHS staff will monitor the student regularly, offer COVID-19 testing and provide any assistance, Fodran said.

Student Health Services is currently offering free COVID-19 testing for students and will be offering free flu tests on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.