November 29, 2020
TO: USC On-Site Campus Employees
RE: Safer at Home Order (11/30-12/20) and Return from Holiday Activities
FR: Sarah Van Orman, MD, MMM, FACHA, Chief Health Officer, USC Student Health
Deona Willes, Executive Director, MPH, USC Environmental Health and Safety
Please be advised that the Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health has issued a Temporary Safer at Home Order beginning Monday, November 30. The temporary order directs individuals to remain in their homes as much as possible, reduce capacity at sites where non-household members mingle, and curtail non-essential activities. All activities where individuals will be or may be in contact with non-household members require an appropriate face covering unless medically exempt.
Given the current high rate of transmission of COVID-19 in LA County, coinciding with record levels of travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, we are advising all on-site campsus employees to test for COVID-19 prior to returning for on-site work in any on-campus facility.
If you are in the same household as someone who has symptoms of COVID-19, is awaiting results from testing, or has recently tested positive, please stay at home and do not go to work on campus.
On-site employees may arrange for testing through the population surveillance testing program (Pop Testing). Note to Keck Medicine of USC employees: for evaluation and COVID-19 testing, please contact Keck Employee Health at 323-442-5219.
Do not go to work if you have any of the symptoms listed below. Please note some symptoms may be very mild:
- chills or fever of 100 degrees or higher;
- loss of taste or smell;
- muscle soreness or headaches or fatigue;
- cough or runny nose or sore throat or congestion;
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath;
- conjunctivitis (“pinkeye,” inflammation of the eye including redness, itching and tearing) along with feeling feverish;
- gastrointestinal symptoms (stomach upset, such as abdominal pain or diarrhea or nausea or vomiting).
Please self-monitor for these symptoms if you have recently attended a gathering or have traveled over the holiday weekend.
As a reminder, please follow the instructions below to keep yourself and your co-workers safe:
- Do not congregate for any reason, including clocking in or out.
- Do not go out to eat with co-workers for lunch.
- Take separate vehicles when possible if using employer-owned vehicles or carts.
- Make it a point to wash your hands and disinfect areas regularly.
USC employees who have traveled outside of the state of California are directed to comply with the State of California travel advisory and self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus.
Rigorous compliance with these safety measures along with physical distancing, hand hygiene, and use of facial coverings will help to protect our campus.
Questions may be directed to the COVID-19 hotline, 213-740-6291, covid19@usc.edu.
We wish you and all your loved ones a safe and healthy holiday season.