March 15, 2020
Dear Members of Our Campus Community,
I am writing to share with you another update on the COVID-19 situation in our local community.
While there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases on campus, there are several individuals from the UC Santa Barbara community who live off-campus who have self-reported possible contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or self-reported travel to areas where COVID-19 cases have been confirmed.
While none of these individuals or their close contacts have exhibited serious symptoms linked to COVID-19, out of an abundance of caution, Student Health contacted Santa Barbara County Public Health and administered a precautionary test for one individual. This individual and several others who had been in close contact with the individual were directed to self-isolate.
Santa Barbara County Public Health has been working in Isla Vista to identify others in the community who may have had close contact with this individual. Public Health officials have notified the community that out of an abundance of caution, five UC Santa Barbara students who live off-campus have been placed in quarantine off-campus. We will update our community as soon as possible with information as it becomes available.
Students with health questions should visit our Student Health website for up-to-date information and medical contact information.
Please see my message from yesterday for updated information and guidance
regarding plans for spring quarter instruction. Again, we urge all students who can safely leave campus for the spring quarter to do so.
The health, safety, and well-being of our campus and local community is our top priority. We are working closely with our county officials, and doing all we can to protect our campus family.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang
Chancellor