Month: December 2021

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….Continue Reading Spring 2022 COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols

Los Angeles County is experiencing a growing surge of COVID-19 cases, which we are also seeing in the USC population. Current USC test positivity rates are at 10%. To adjust to the expected volume of positive cases over the next weeks during this surge, contact tracing is now largely automated through a MySHR secure message form. The following instructions are now in place….Continue Reading COVID-19 Surge Operations Update

As we wrap up our Fall semester, we are sharing an update about the university’s plans for the Spring, in light of the increased spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. We are closely monitoring rising cases on campus and in the community, as well as at institutions of higher education nationally. In the meantime, we know that booster shots are critical to protecting members of our community from serious illness. The university is likely to require them in the spring semester, and an announcement on this requirement is forthcoming.  At this time, we urge everyone to get their booster as soon as possible, and upload the record to mySHR.
…Continue Reading Health Advisory — Omicron Variant

Dec 6, 2021—A recent Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announcement identified the Omicron variant in a college student returning from recent domestic air travel. USC can confirm the individual is a USC student who is currently isolating and doing well. The case was detected as part of USC’s routine surveillance testing program; all…Continue Reading COVID-19 Update

Students are advised that beginning next week (12:01 am EST on December 6, 2021), the U.S. will be requiring valid negative COVID-19 testing within 24 hours prior to boarding a flight to the U.S.

Similarly, other international flights and entry regulations may be placed in effect for pre-boarding testing.

Here is information that may be helpful to you.

Student Health Testing

USC Student Health ongoing surveillance testing is available during regular Pop Testing hours; return of results is typically within 24 hours, however, this is not guaranteed as the timing depends on testing volume and laboratory capacity. Testing does not take place on Sundays or major holidays (Dec 24 & 25, Dec 31 & Jan 1). Documentation: Medical stamps, passport #, and CLIA lab certification may be added to your documentation if required. To contact the Health Information Management team in Student Health for this request, send an email to eshchim@usc.edu with the subject line “Testing Documentation for Travel,” and include your name and USC ID #.

Pre-travel testing is available (fee-based) at LAX, with results that can return within hours. Information is at the following link: https://www.flylax.com/travelsafely#CovidTest
…Continue Reading International Students – COVID testing and travel