The university has launched a new version of our mandatory “Hygiene Health and Safety” training forstudents (HHS student edition, which includes information relevant to student employees) and for faculty and staff (HHS employee edition). Please take 10-15 minutes to complete this online module in Trojan Learn. This is required for all students, faculty, and university staff. COVID-19 testing for students—All USC students will be required to arrange for COVID-19 testing within 3 days of arrival to Los Angeles. Your first test must be completed by August 22 or your Trojan Check will be non-compliant.

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.

7/15 — In alignment with the LA County Department of Public Health Public Health Officer Order announced today,USC is now requiring masking indoors for all individuals in campus facilities, including vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, to protect yourself and others from transmission. Los Angeles County has seen a recent rise in COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks, confirming a trend of rising transmission among unvaccinated individuals. For the first time since March, Los Angeles County has reported more than 1,500 new cases daily. There is also growing concern about the Delta variant, which is highly transmissible and now has been detected in all 50 states in the U.S., and accounts for the vast majority of cases currently identified in LA County.

As you get ready for the academic year, we would like to share with you some materials that will help you adjust to campus life and meet some health and safety requirements—including COVID-19 vaccination requirements that have a completion deadline of July 15, 2021.

Please review the new student materials as you make plans to start the academic year, and share with parents, guardians, and other members of your support network. (Materials translated into Chinese are available online.) We would also like to remind you to learn about health and immunization requirements for new students, including insurance and immunizations.

For International Students: We are very much looking forward to your arrival on campus, and know you are busy making preparations for the start of your academic program at USC. As you plan for your arrival at USC for the fall 2021 semester, please review the following health and safety requirements. USC is requiring all students, faculty and staff to submit proof of vaccination for COVID-19 in order to access campus facilities for the fall semester. Your safety is our top priority.

USC Student Health is offering one-one chats for new and returning students about a range of health topics including immunization requirements, insurance, and other personalized… Read more »

As many of you may know, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and May 20 has been designated as a day of action—whether this means taking time for your own mental health, learning about resources, creating space for a self-care practice, connecting through community, or reaching out for help. We are sharing with you this USC Mental Health Awareness webpage that collects current resources on mental health at USC. Newly created among these offerings is the Student Journalism Wellness Project, created by USC student journalists (through the Kayleigh Finnie Memorial Scholarship) as a way of raising discussion and awareness of mental health care in the field of journalism.

Although guidance on masking and distancing in informal personal settings, especially among vaccinated individuals, may be changing as the vaccines are now more widely available, the University is currently maintaining a work and academic environment that adheres to the 6 ft. physical distancing, low workplace density, and masking requirements. On-campus events, activities, and in-person work continues to be limited to activities previously approved through the restart process. This will remain in place until Los Angeles County updates guidelines for institutions of higher education and the University’s reviews and issues additional guidelines. Wearing face coverings and remaining physically distanced from others is required on campus. While fully vaccinated individuals are no longer required to complete surveillance testing, all USC faculty, university staff and students may continue to access COVID-19 testing with USC Student Health’s Pop Testing sites. If you are planning summer travel, please also be advised of important reminders about California (CDPH) and CDC Travel Advisories.

As we are approaching the end of the spring semester, we remind all students that the Spring Student Health Fee coverage period formally ends on May 23, 2021. Students who would like to continue accessing services (primary care visits, illness/injury visits, immunizations, mental health visits, group therapy, workshops) through USC Student Health over the summer may opt-in for the summer health fee for either one or both summer session periods.