California Lutheran University is now offering COVID-19 testing in the Gilbert parking lot as of Jan. 24. An official State of California drive through style testing site is open outside the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center located on campus. California residents are able to make an appointment on Logistics Health Care.

As of Monday Jan. 31, there was 20 new reported cases on the Thousand Oaks campus and a total of 151 total cases since Aug. 26, 2021. These numbers are being updated every Monday. The most recent updates regarding COVID-19 numbers can be found on the California Lutheran University Know website.

Associate Vice President of Planning and Services Ryan Van Ommeren helped with the process of setting up the COVID-19 testing site. 

“You can make an appointment online or you can show up without an appointment but you must stay in your car for the duration of the test,” Van Ommeren said. 

The testing site in the Gilbert parking lot is similar to other drive through style sites.

“It is a nasal PCR test, and it takes about two days to get your results,” Van Ommeren said. 

In order to keep the Gilbert parking lot safe, Van Ommeren said signage was put up to help direct the flow of traffic and the Overton Court area was made one way.

Director of Campus Safety David Hilke said in an email interview, the university was making efforts to best accommodate the new testing site.

“In an effort to lessen the impact on parking at the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, we have reopened the parking spaces that are located south of the testing site,” Hilke said.

The Oaks Mall also has a state regulated testing site, but Van Ommeren was willing to share how the university was granted one as well.

“We were just extraordinarily fortunate. We were asking if there would be any county testing resources that would be available for us and they were figuring out where a new allotment of testing sites is going to go, so they asked if we wanted it,” Van Ommeren said.

At the end of the interview, Van Ommeren offered some final words of advice for students, staff and faculty.

“Encourage people to get tested! So even if someone feels a scratch in their throat, it’s so easy and right there to get a quick test,” Van Ommeren said.

Cal Lutheran’s Health Services facility is still offering two types of COVID-19 testing. Director of Health Services Saul Miller gave some insight into the test options on campus.

“We have rapid, in-office tests that we use for diagnosing students who are having symptoms of COVID-19,” Miller said. “Because these tests require medical providers to administer and run them, students are required to have an office visit in order to use these tests.”

If a student isn’t experiencing symptoms, there is another option on campus for testing that doesn’t require an appointment. 

“For asymptomatic students who want to be tested for any reason, they can use our self-service testing station located right in front of Health Services,” Miller said.

To register for testing or to find out more information, see the section “COVID-19 Testing” on the Health Services webpage.

If student’s test positive for COVID-19, they are told to email [email protected] to discuss the next steps. Students who live on campus and test positive are offered isolation housing, commuters who test positive are asked to isolate at their off-campus residence. 

“With regards to next steps, we follow the California Department of Public Health guidelines,” Miller said. 

The California Department of Public Health’s guidelines currently advise individuals to isolate themselves for a minimum of five days from the first day of experiencing symptoms. Isolation can end after five days if the individual tests negative. Students must wear a mask indoors and outdoors for another five days regardless of their negative test results. Vice President and Dean of Students, Melinda Roper’s official statement can be found online on California Lutheran University’s website.

For any questions regarding COVID-19 questions, students can email [email protected] found on Cal Lutheran’s KNOW page.