sign saying masks required standing on sidewalk on college campus
Story California

Serving California: CSU Establishes COVID Vaccination Sites Across the State

Hazel Kelly

Supporting its mission of public service, the CSU is hosting vaccination clinics statewide to help end the pandemic.

sign saying masks required standing on sidewalk on college campus

Military personnel assist motorists at the Cal State LA COVID vaccination site in February, which began as part of a federal-state partnership to ramp up vaccine distribution in Los Angeles. Cal State LA is one of several CSU campuses offering its facilities for vaccination sites​.​ Visit MyTurn.ca.gov for vaccination info. Photo courtesy of Robert Huskey/Cal State LA

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was updated 4/20/21 at 8:00 a.m.

Aof April 20, fourteen of the 23 California State University campuses across the state are serving as COVID-19 vaccine distribution sitesand more may come online in the near futureWhether in partnership with county health agencies, third-party health vendors or the federal government, the CSU is committed to protecting the health and well-being of its students, staff and the communities in which campuses serve.  

Just as his predecessor was guided by the twin North Stars of safeguarding the health of students, staff and faculty while enabling degree progress at the start of the pandemic, CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro has adopted this guiding principle as the university plans for more in-person instruction and activities.  

“The CSU encourages all who are eligible and able to participate in the important COVID-vaccine programs as they become available. By each of us doing our part, we will reach the herd immunity that will be foundational to our collective return to a new normal,” said Chancellor Castro.  

vaccination drive up site inside parking garage

Medical staff assist patients at a COVID-19 vaccination site located on the Cal State Long Beach campus. Photo courtesy of Sean DuFrene/CSULB  

While many of the CSU-based vaccination sites are operated by county agencies, staff at the participating campuses have played a pivotal role in coordinating logistics and communications for these critical services, often on short notice. “I appreciate the cooperation and collaboration of all of our campuses as we help the state move forward and recover from the pandemic,” Castro added. 

The CSU’s COVID-19 vaccination support varies on each of the participating campuses: Many are offering facilities and space for health agencies to oversee operations, while some campuses have become authorized vaccine providers themselves.  

One authorized provider is Sacramento State, which is currently vaccinating eligible tiers of the community​ in partnership with the Sacramento County Department of Health. Sacramento State officials began preparing for the program in 2020, using prior experience administering flu vaccinations as a model. (Visit the county department of health website​ for more information.)

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Meanwhile, 
Cal State Long Beach was the first CSU to establish its own vaccination program exclusively for members of the campus community, in partnership with the City of Long Beach.  

Cal State LA has hosted a large-scale public vaccination site since February, as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) effort to reach underrepresented communities in Los Angeles that have been disproportionately affected by the virus. On April 12, the city of Los Angeles took the lead on operations for the site. Visit the city of Los Angeles' vaccination website for more information.

Additional campuses involved in t​he statewide vaccine rollout include CSU Bakersfield, Humboldt State, CSU Monterey Bay, CSUN, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino, San Diego State, San Francisco State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU San Marcos and Stanislaus State. 


See how CSU health care heroes have served on the frontlines, from vaccination clinics to hospitals, and learn how faculty and students from across disciplines continue the fight against COVID-19. ​