UCLA to drop indoor masking requirement

Beginning Monday, UCLA will drop its indoor masking requirement, with the exception of areas where face coverings are still mandated by county health officials, such as health care facilities and on public transportation, campus officials announced.

"As the pandemic evolves and the severity of illness seems to be waning, we are adjusting our campus protocols to better align with current public health conditions in line with the transitions that have already occurred at other academic institutions, and within the county and state," according to a campuswide message sent Friday by Vice Chancellor Michael Beck and microbiology professor Megan McEvoy, co-chairs of the campus COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force.

As of Monday, masking will only be strongly recommended in indoor settings on the Westwood campus. Students will also no longer be required to fill out a daily symptom-monitoring survey. Students will instead be asked to self-assess their condition, and not come to campus if they are experiencing any symptoms.

Weekly testing by students and staff will no longer be required, but they can still test up to twice weekly through the campus vending machine system if they believe they've been exposed.

The university still requires all students and staff on campus to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and boosters.