Getting our workers vaccinated and regular COVID-19 testing for workers who are not fully vaccinated will help protect our workforce, the people we serve, and our community. It’s especially important as we see this latest surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and the devastating impact that the highly contagious Delta variant is having in our communities.

The California Department of Public Health set testing requirements that went into effect on August 23, 2021.

Under the new requirements, unvaccinated workforce members who work in clinics, correctional settings and homeless shelters are required to get a COVID-19 test weekly. Unvaccinated workforce members working in our hospitals are required to get a COVID-19 test twice a week.

The COVID-19 testing requirement applies to DHS workers who have not yet provided proof of full vaccination. Workers are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the last dose of vaccine – so 14 days after the 2nd dose for vaccines requiring two doses and 14 days after the dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The State testing requirements are set by facility, so all DHS workforce members, whether employees, contractors, students or volunteers, without a record of vaccination with DHS must adhere to these testing requirements.

Every DHS worker who is required to get regular COVID-19 testing will receive a notification via email. Please look for this email in your inboxes. Frequently asked questions can be accessed here (The Website is Accessible for Health Services Staff only) and the Employee Health Services tab on SharePoint has vital information on this – view here (The Website is Accessible for Health Services Staff only).

If you have already received your COVID-19 vaccine outside of DHS (from your own provider or community vaccination site), please look here (The Website is Accessible for Health Services Staff only) for information on how to submit proof of your vaccination as soon as possible.

The COVID-19 vaccine continues to be the best way to protect ourselves and each other—it is safe and effective.

It is your responsibility to ensure you meet the requirements of the mandate. Please visit the COVID-19 SharePoint site (The Website is Accessible for Health Services Staff only) for the latest information and most recent frequently asked questions on Diagnostic Screening Testing. Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation in this process.