The Los Angeles Community College District has announced a grace period for compliance with the vaccination mandate, which was put into effect on Sept. 1.
Board Policy 2900 required faculty and students who plan on being on campus to submit either proof of full vaccination status or a medical exemption form by Oct. 18.
Pierce College Student Health Center Assistant Loralyn Frederick said that the policy also requires everyone to get a free baseline COVID-19 test with the company Biocept, regardless of vaccination status.
The deadline has been extended to Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. for employees and Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. for students.
To register, faculty and students need to first make an account on Biocept’s system, Cleared4, via an email link from “no-reply@cleared4work.com.”
From there, each person will be given a unique link where they’ll be able to access Cleared4 at any time, and can schedule appointment times for COVID-19 testing, upload vaccination status or fill out an exemption form.
Exemption forms must be filled out at least two days in advance prior to the deadline day to give the District enough time to look over and approve it.
LACCD Director of Communications and External Relations William Boyer wrote in an email that students and faculty should complete the requirements as soon as possible, and to contact the District if they have not yet received any emails from Cleared4.
“Do not waste valuable time contacting the District,” Boyer wrote. “Due to the volume of last-minute requests, it might take Cleared4 up to 48 hours or longer to respond to your request.”
Boyer wrote that if anyone is having trouble with their accounts or needs their link re-sent, they should contact the Cleared4 Help Desk immediately via covidcolleges@biocept.com.
COVID-19 testing hours at Pierce are on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the North Gym 5600.