Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares health-related updates and reminds the USC community to avoid large gatherings.
Category: Faculty
Latest Updates for Faculty
10/6: Fall Community Health Update
Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, shares updates with the USC community regarding COVID-19 and flu immunization.
9/3: Guidance for Upcoming Long Weekend
Sarah Van Orman, USC’s Chief Health Officer for USC Student Health, provides recommendations for safe activities to engage in during Labor Day weekend.
7/27: COVID-19 Screening, Symptom, and Exposure Reporting Process for Onsite Employees
Employees and supervisors should review the details about USC’s screening, symptom and exposure reporting process for employees who are working onsite.
7/18: Community Update Regarding Rosso’s
We recently received information about a confirmed case of COVID-19 from an Auxiliary Services employee who worked in the central kitchen area for McKay’s and Rosso’s. The last dates the individual worked shifts were July 13 and 14. Employees with possible exposure were contacted and received instructions for self-monitoring. Patrons, who based on our records, visited Rosso’s on July 13 and 14 are being notified.
7/16: COVID-19 Health Advisory
In the summer, our on-premise and near-premise campus population is much smaller than during the fall and spring semesters. However, we are seeing some worrisome trends emerge from this smaller population that our community should take into consideration. Over the last two weeks, the COVID-19 test positivity rate increased from 5% to 9% among students.
7/14: ICE Reverses Directive to Revoke International Student Visas
We were very pleased to learn that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security agreed to rescind its July 6 guidance. This would have, among other things, required our international students to take in-person classes in order to maintain their visa status.
7/13: USC and Coalition of Western Universities Sue the Federal Government
Following last week’s government directive requiring international students to take at least one in-person class to maintain their visa status, USC immediately began reaching out to bring together some of the leading research institutions, liberal arts colleges, and public universities in the western United States to block the directive from being enforced. Today, our powerful coalition of 20 schools filed its own lawsuit against the federal government.
7/9: COVID-19 Health Alert
In the past few days, a cluster of 15 positive cases of COVID-19 among houses located on 28th Street has been identified and is being evaluated. Patients with confirmed positive tests are in self-isolation at home or are in the process of being privately transported to isolation. We have seen a rapid acceleration in community spread in the last three weeks. The current positivity rate for L.A. County is 11%, which is up from 5% about three weeks ago.
7/8: University Message Regarding International Students
We are deeply troubled by the updated guidance that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released Monday requiring international students to take at least one in-person class to maintain their visa status. Given the broad range of courses being offered, both in person and online, we are optimistic we will be able to support our international students to study in person safely if they wish, but it may take a few days.