Dear Students,
We hope this message finds you well as the fall semester concludes. Thank you for doing your part to keep the USF community healthy and safe while we navigate the ongoing pandemic. As we approach winter break, it is important to practice safe, responsible, and positive health behaviors while finding opportunities to rest and recharge.
In preparation for a return to campus for spring semester, please review the following updates:
Quarantine Expectations
Any student who is not fully vaccinated will be required to quarantine prior to the start of the semester. According to the CDC, a person is fully vaccinated two weeks after receipt of the last dose in the administered vaccine’s series. Should this guidance change to include a booster, we will inform you. All students are encouraged to get a booster when eligible, which is typically six months after the administration of the last dose in your administered vaccine’s series.
Residential Students
Students living on campus for spring semester who are not fully vaccinated and are not staying on campus during winter break and/or intersession will be required to complete a seven-day quarantine. Students will move into an assigned quarantine unit on Jan. 13, 2022. Students will be tested on Jan. 18, 2022 and if the result is negative and the student is not exhibiting symptoms, the student will be released to their academic year assignment on Jan. 20, 2022.
Off-Campus Students
Students living off campus who are not fully vaccinated can complete the same seven-day quarantine so that quarantine will be complete before the start of any on-campus activity. Students quarantining off-campus can administer an at-home test in the three- to five-day window after the start of the quarantine. If negative and symptom-free, the student can be released from quarantine seven days after the start of the quarantine period.
Test Mandate
In alignment with recently updated San Francisco Department of Public Health recommendations, all students, residential and non-residential and regardless of vaccination status, must provide a negative test result taken one to two days prior to the start of classes or engaging in any on-campus activity, including moving back into campus housing, whichever happens sooner. The test can be done with a hometest, or a PCR or rapid antigen test from a clinic or a testing site. Test results, including a photo of your self-administered at-home test, should be uploaded into Med+Proctor. Failure to submit a test result may result in not being allowed to move into campus housing or attend in-person classes. Should you receive a positive test result prior to returning you must complete your isolation at the location in which your test was taken.
We will continue to monitor local health guidance and keep you updated if information or requirements should change. Please note that there may be additional requirements for students in some academic programs. If that is the case, students will receive that information directly from their school or program. In the meantime, please review the following practices to protect your health and well-being, and the health and well-being of the community:
- Continue to monitor for symptoms. If you are on-campus for winter break housing and/or intersession housing you must submit your daily Dons Health Check or submit symptoms directly to covidtracing@usfca.edu. If you are off-campus during the break and not coming to campus, you are not required to submit daily symptom checks but may contact covidtracing@usfca.edu if you need information.
- Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds.
- Wear face coverings while indoors and outdoors.
- Limit large group settings whenever possible, especially with those whose vaccination status is unknown.
- Stay home when sick or not feeling well.
- Utilize hand sanitizer often, including from the stands around campus.
- If able, we highly recommended getting a COVID-19 booster shot.
When classes resume for spring semester, on-campus testing will be available every Wednesday and Thursday. To participate and sign up, please visit HPS COVID-19 Resources. Students reporting symptoms during the spring semester will receive instructions for testing from the COVID Tracing Team.
As we know, COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future and we must learn to live with the virus. We assure you that the university will remain vigilant and flexible in our approach. We are grateful for all who have helped safeguard the health of our campus community and we ask for your continued cooperation and assistance.
Sincerely,
COVID Management Team