COVID-19 Vaccines and Testing

Yes. As COVID-19 vaccine eligibility continues to expand, the Health Center at Auraria will serve anyone who is eligible.

Minors will require a parent to be present in order to receive a vaccine.

Yes. The University of Colorado announced on April 28, 2021 that its four campuses and system administration will require all students, faculty, and staff to have COVID vaccinations before the start of fall semester 2021. CU’s president and campus chancellors made the decision after consulting state and local health departments, as well as CU experts. Learn more about this requirement.

In partnership with the Health Center for Auraria, we offer COVID vaccinations on campus at the 5th Street Garage. You can schedule on-campus vaccine appointments here.

Adjacent to campus, the state runs a vaccination clinic at Ball Arena. It is open 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday – Friday for walk-up or drive-up vaccinations. You can schedule an appointment at Ball Arena here.

Additionally, local pharmacies and healthcare providers offer COVID vaccinations that may be more conveniently located.

Yes. International students must be vaccinated before they arrive in August 2021. For international students who arrive in August without a vaccine, CU Denver will provide vaccine opportunities and develop a process for them to start classes on time.

If an online-only student is never required to visit any CU facility, then a COVID-19 vaccination is not required. All students who come to campus must be vaccinated or follow the routine testing or exemption process.

All faculty or staff who work on campus or have the possibility of having to work on campus are required to get vaccinated.

The COVID vaccines currently in use have Experimental Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We anticipate FDA approval in the near future, before the start of the fall semester.

We plan to use a similar process that exists for student immunizations and will provide further details soon. Colorado law provides exemptions for medical, personal, and religious reasons. Those individuals who are not vaccinated, regardless of their reason, will require COVID-testing on a regular basis. Frequency and other details will be announced at a later time. 

We are still developing our process and will provide further updates.

Contact your state and local public health authorities to identify locations to get the vaccinations before you come to campus in August 2021. The vaccine is available to all adults age 16+ across the country.

You must be fully vaccinated by the beginning of the fall semester, August 23, 2021. If you select Pfizer or Moderna's two-dose vaccines, then get your first dose no later than June 30 to allow enough time to get your second dose and be fully vaccinated by the start of the fall semester.

CU believes that doing so will support the health and safety of campus communities and the cities that call our campuses home. It will lower the rate of infection. Additionally, a vaccination requirement will further the goal of having an on-campus experience that is critical to academic success and personal growth. Learn more at the CU System Vaccine Requirement page.

It is unknown when or if a booster will be required. If one is required, we will do our best to provide easy and free access to everyone on campus.

Yes. CU Denver students, faculty, and staff can sign up for free, drive-up testing for themselves and for members of their household. Multiple people in the same vehicle can be tested, but each person must be individually registered for an appointment. The minimum age for testing is 2.

If your health insurer does not reimburse for part of or all of the asymptomatic COVID-19 test or if you do not have health insurance, you will not be billed or held responsible for the cost of the test. This was part of the agreement with COVIDCheckColorado and its lab partners. No further action is needed on your part.  

If you have health insurance, COVIDCheckColorado’s lab partners will request reimbursement from your insurance company for the test. Your health insurance company may choose to reimburse COVIDCheckColorado for the test, and this reimbursement should not impact you or your health insurance. However, your health insurance company may choose not to reimburse COVIDCheckColorado. Sometimes when that happens, a health insurance company will then send a notice that you are now responsible for the remaining amount. That does not apply to this situation.  
 

If you test positive for COVID-19, take the following steps immediately:

1. Isolate and follow CDPHE guidance. A medical professional will be in touch to inform you of when you may end self-isolation. DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS.
2. Inform your professor(s) or inform the head of your unit, if you are an employee.
3. Contact the Auraria Health Center at 303-615-9999.

All students and employees who test positive for COVID-19 are to self-report their status regardless of where their test was performed and regardless of whether they have been physically present on campus.

Use the CU Denver referral form if you know of anyone who needs support or if you have a concern about something related to the spread of COVID-19.

If a student in your class or an employee in your unit informs you they have tested positive for COVID-19, then remind them they must stay home and ask them to fill out a COVID-19 Self-Report Form. The contact tracing team will assess the exposure risk and respond with any further instructions. It is not necessary to move class to remote instruction, arrange testing of other students or employees, or request cleaning unless instructed to do so by the contact tracing team.

Dr. Ruben Zorrilla from the Health Center at Auraria is offering consultations to address any questions related to in-class COVID-19 cases. A consult request can be made by calling the Auraria Health Center directly at 303-615-9999.

When an individual tests positive for COVID-19, the contact tracing team takes the following steps:

1. The team interviews the individual to determine when their symptoms began and who else might be at risk.
2. A list of the individual's contacts is compiled and assessed for potential exposure risk.
3. Details of the interview are shared confidentially with the Auraria Health Center's Medical Director and the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE).
4. DDPHE may contact the individual and/or their high-risk contacts.