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Vaccine Update for Campus— Influenza and COVID-19 Boosters

As we enter the influenza season, the University has renewed the decision to require influenza vaccines for all USC students, faculty, and staff for the 2021-2022 influenza season. The deadline for completion is November 1, 2021. As a reminder, please continue to use recommended hygiene practices: wash your hands, follow masking guidelines, and if you are sick, please stay home.

Recently, the FDA and CDC have also made key announcements on COVID-19 booster shots for the Pfizer (Comirnaty) COVID-19 vaccine. Information for USC students in our campus communities about both these vaccines is outlined in a message to all students.

9/28 Flu Vaccine Requirement for Students

All USC students taking in-person classes or living in university-owned residences in Fall 2020 are required to complete immunization for influenza by November 1. Students living in off-campus residences and taking classes remotely are also strongly encouraged to get a flu vaccine. Students returning to in person classes in Spring 2021 will be required to show proof of vaccination before they will be permitted on campus. 

  • September and October are optimal times for receiving the flu vaccine, as it takes approximately 2 weeks for your immune system to create antibodies for protection. Don’t delay; if you have an opportunity to get vaccinated for flu, take it.

    • Building a Culture of Consent: Community Message

    Building a culture of consent is a fundamental step in eliminating sexual assault, sexual misconduct, and gender-based harm in our campus communities.

    As the 2019 Task Force Report on this subject found, “Transforming an institutional campus culture that celebrates integrity, respect, trust and achievement will take our collective resolve to fully realize.”

    Every member of our USC student community is expected to understand that clearly obtaining consent in relationships and intimate encounters is the norm. Respect for others, including respect for self-identified genders, and sexual respect and acknowledging boundaries, is how Trojans treat each other.

    National Recovery Month

    9/15/21—As you may already be aware, September is National Recovery Month—a time to promote and support the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of community members and service providers across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible, and new evidence-based recovery practices.

    At USC, the Naloxone SC program can provide vital information and assistance to USC students in preventing overdoses or substances laced with fentanyl. Developed by the USC School of Pharmacy graduate students in CPNP, this website includes a video training on opioid reversal using naloxone—this training is available to all USC students, is free, and provides a free twin pack of Narcan-brand naloxone nasal spray and drug testing strips to all who complete the video training. An independent student-run social media account, https://twitter.com/usctaco, provides shareable content on understanding overdose prevention. Please help share the word about these programs. Access to information, training, test strips and naloxone can potentially save a life.

    8/23 Nasal Swab Testing; Other Testing Updates

    As of this week, USC Student Health is re-introducing nasal swab as a method for collecting samples for COVID-19 testing. Nasal swab appointments are available through MySHR (Monday-Friday until 3:30 PM) at Jefferson Lot and Pardee Marks locations. Please refer to the Pop Testing Hours and Locations page for updated information. Thank you to our community — 27,000 tests were administered this past week, and there was less than 0.5% positivity among students — much lower than in the general population (3.52% is the current positivity rate for Los Angeles County). Your participation in our vaccine program, reaching above 91% for fully vaccinated among students, faculty, and staff, has also made the opening of the fall semester safer for everyone.

    NEW EXTENSION PERIOD (Friday 8/27 deadline) for Trojan Check Requirements

    Students are advised of an extension period for your COVID-19 surveillance test; and for completing the “Hygiene Health and Safety” learning module in Trojan Learn (https://trojanlearn.usc.edu).

    If you are vaccinated and your Trojan Check is showing as “noncompliant” for either of these two reasons; you have until Friday, August 27 at 12 midnight to complete these requirements.

    COVID-19 Testing (Pop Testing Program)

    We strongly recommended you complete your surveillance test by Wednesday, August 25.

    Vaccines and TB Screening

    For students who are required to complete a TB (tuberculosis) test, please be reminded that a TB screening cannot be taken within 28 days of having received the following vaccines: MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Varicella
    COVID-19. If you have recently received any of the vaccines above, your T-Spot must be drawn after 28 days of your recent dose.

    7/22 Health Alert: Increase in COVID-19 cases in LA County

    LA County’s COVID-19 cases have increased by 20-fold compared to last month. On June 21 there were 124 cases. Yesterday, July 21, there were 2,551 new cases reported. We are also seeing an increase in positive cases in the USC community. Given the increase in community spread, we remind all USC students, faculty, and staff of the symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms may be very mild, especially if you are fully vaccinated. Please stay home if you have symptoms and do not go to work, attend class, or any other activity until you are able to test. If you receive a contact-tracing email notification from USC Student Health that you are believed to have had a COVID-19 exposure, you are recommended to test even if you are fully vaccinated.