1/19/23—The LA County Dept. of Public Health has released updated information about treatments for COVID-19. Treatments can help you from getting very sick, and may also help you feel better sooner. In addition, early evidence suggests that treatments may make people test negative sooner and lower the risk of developing long COVID. People with symptoms…
Category: Health
Latest updates on Health topics
4/15/22—Updated guidance from the LA County Dept. of Public Health removes the quarantine requirement for individuals who are asymptomatic after having had a close contact exposure to a positive case of COVID-19. Individuals who have had an exposure are required to wear a highly protective mask around others, especially indoors, for a total of 10 days after…
As announced on February 16, Los Angeles County removed restrictions for outdoor masking, based on improved metrics for hospitalizations and case fatalities. Outdoor masking is now also lifted for university-sponsored events. Masking is required indoors, on transportation, and at health care facilities (including testing sites). We are anticipating that metrics will continue to improve even more in one more week, so are planning for a lifting of some campus measures slated for March 1.
In alignment with the revised Public Health Officer order, masking is no longer required at outdoor events. University-sponsored outdoor events of all sizes no longer require masking for attendees. Masking continues to be required indoors, and in special environments including on USC transportation, and in all USC health care facilities including testing sites.
UPDATE: Please see important health care service information related to services on 2/16 (due to the parade at University Park and Exposition Park). Student Health Appointment VisitsStudents: medical and mental health care at Engemann is open and operational until 7 PM; routine care and non-urgent appointments are encouraged to move to telehealth. Check MySHR for appointments. COVID-19 TestingJefferson Lot…
Per these revised guidelines for workplaces, individuals on USC campus premises in locations where masking is required are now required to wear medical grade masks, which at minimum are surgical masks and may also include higher grade respirator masks (N95, KN95, or KF94). Campus premises where PPE is required include indoor common spaces, public areas, classrooms, libraries, offices, and laboratories (unless higher grade PPE is already specified). Faculty, staff, and students in clinical settings should follow guidance for health care settings as determined by the facility. If you are an employee who has been directed by USC Environmental Health and Safety to wear (and previously fit-tested for) a respirator mask as PPE for occupational safety, continue to wear this level of protection.
Peak access times for MySHR (to schedule testing) is expected to be highest on Monday, January 3 (and again on Monday, January 10 & Tuesday, January 18), from the morning through the afternoon. High access volume may result in system unavailability for some users. Accessing MySHR during the weekend, and evenings after 6 PM are recommended. If you have tested positive during Winter Break with results from outside of USC, please upload a photo or scan of the results into MySHR (in “upload documents”) and complete the contact tracing form. Uploading your positive result, or a photo of your home testing kit result, AND completing the contact tracing form will automatically exempt you from surveillance testing for 90 days once it is reviewed by our staff. This ensures your Trojan Check will permit you access to campus.
We hope you are enjoying a restorative Winter Break. As we prepare for the new year and the 2022 Spring semester, we are sharing some specific details regarding health and safety campus protocols around COVID-19. The University is requiring booster doses for all students, faculty, and staff. The recent emergence of the Omicron variant further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters, and prevention efforts needed to protect against COVID-19. See previous important messages regarding test positivity in the surge operations message of Dec 23, 2021 and the Spring semester update of Dec. 24, 2021. Pre-travel: Students are required to test for COVID-19 prior to leaving their Winter Break location, it is recommended that you test 48 hours prior to leaving. Upload your results into MySHR. If you test positive, you should remain in your current location and isolate for ten (10) days; complete the contact tracing form in MySHR.
Getting a booster shot for COVID-19 is strongly recommended. With the combination of colder weather keeping people indoors, the waning of vaccine and natural immunity, and more mingling among non-household members, California public health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible to help prevent a possible winter surge in COVID-19 cases. Test before travel, and after you return. If you have symptoms, do not travel. See the CDC Safer Travel Guide for additional travel tips.
Current CDC data on COVID-19 has demonstrated that individuals who are unvaccinated have a six-times greater risk of illness than vaccinated counterparts; and have a 11-times greater risk of death. Within the USC community, unvaccinated individuals have a 2-4 times greater risk of infection. Unfortunately, since late October, positivity rates have increased each week in both LA County and in the campus populations.
Last week, (week 10 since move-in) there were 69 positive cases, (0.21% positivity rate among students, 0.62% among faculty and staff).