On April 22, 2022, you reported on UC Berkeley’s decision to close the RSF testing facility in the article titled “UC Berkeley to close RSF testing facility, sunset COVID-19 measures”. This is timely considering COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted across the country despite the recent tick in active cases.

As an undergraduate student studying public health at UC Berkeley, I do not support the closure of the only testing facility located on campus. COVID-19 is still circulating, and the university needs to acknowledge the threat of a potential new variant.

Rather than closing the site, the university should move toward reducing the hours of operation and maintaining the RSF testing site. The RSF is a quick and easy way for students to get tested in between classes. It is a shame that students will have a harder time accessing COVID tests in the future months to come. This premature decision to close the RSF testing site is a great disservice to the UC Berkeley community and the greater community’s overall health.