USC to potentially drop weekly testing
Student Health may drop the weekly coronavirus testing requirement in the coming weeks if case counts and positivity rates continue to plateau, USC Chief Health Officer Dr. Sarah Van Orman said at a student health media briefing Thursday.
As vaccination rates increase, in part because of international students who previously did not have access to the vaccine, the positivity rates among students and staff continue to decline.
Of the 33,389 tests administered from Sept. 5 to Sept. 11, 78 students and five employees tested positive for the coronavirus. The .24% positivity rate for students is the lowest reported since last May, and the .38% faculty positivity rate is down from .89% the week before.
Low transmission levels coupled with high vaccination rates have prompted USC health officials to reconsider the current coronavirus testing mandate that requires all students -— regardless of vaccination status — to test every week to remain in compliance with Trojan Check.
“We are seeing a very nice decline [in positivity rates], and I really think it’s due to the testing, the masking, high vaccine rates and the numbers starting to fall in [L.A.] County,” Van Orman said. “We’re pleased with where the numbers are, but we still don’t know what the trends are going to be.”
Van Orman said Student Health wants to see around two more weeks of testing data before a final decision is made about the future of the weekly surveillance testing requirement on campus.
“Our goal is to stop the requirement for routine surveillance testing,” Van Orman said. “That’s our primary goal at some point, but we need to see the trend first.”
Van Orman described mask-wearing and hand hygiene as “critical” health preventative measures due to other circulating viral illnesses that typically emerge in the fall. Van Orman said Student Health follows coronavirus protocols as given from federal, state and county guidance, which has remained constant despite substantial decreases in cases, positivity rates and hospitalizations in Los Angeles County.
The mask mandate for indoor and large outdoor venues remains in effect, and L.A. County recently issued a new health officer order that will require proof of vaccination to enter indoor bars, nightclubs and breweries. Residents must have one dose completed by Oct. 7 and receive their second shots by Nov. 4.
Van Orman said these community mitigation efforts have implications on the campus coronavirus trends, as students are increasingly engaging in high-risk activities in the broader L.A. community.
“We do know that when we look at a lot of outbreaks … we have a number of cases and outbreaks that are associated with going to nightclubs and other [social] gatherings,” Van Orman said. “[Those activities] are really the highest risk type of venue, so I think [the new vaccine rule] is a really proactive step to try to limit the risks associated with those types of activities.”
Since the beginning of the fall semester, 469 USC students have tested positive for the coronavirus. Van Orman said every confirmed case has been mild in terms of the severity — no students have required hospitalization or received intrusive treatment to manage their condition.
While cases have not led to hospitalizations, Van Orman said Student Health has analyzed preliminary data of 100,000 on-campus coronavirus tests, showing that 80% of those who tested positive were symptomatic.
“So really what that suggests is that people with COVID are symptomatic, even if it’s low-level symptomatic,” Van Orman said. “It really stresses the importance of taking that Trojan Check screening seriously and staying home if you have any low-level symptoms, and that’s really the purpose of Trojan Check — because people we’re finding so far do have some level of symptoms.”
While the coronavirus trends on campus remain a pressing priority for Student Health, Van Orman said her office is preparing to push flu vaccinations. She said flu shots will be administered at the Lyon Center, and there will be an announcement about how to access them next week.
Additionally, Van Orman said Student Health is starting to see other viral illnesses circulate around campus, like upper respiratory tract infections.
“It’s concerning because in a normal year most cases [would be] mild, self-limited illnesses, and people would treat themselves, but in the era of COVID, people who have other viral symptoms like sore throat or congestion are having to isolate until their symptoms improve and then get a negative coronavirus test,” Van Orman said.
While coronavirus cases are declining, Student Health acknowledged how circulating viral infections may pose complications to the coronavirus response.
“It’s going to be a challenging year that’s one of the reasons why we’re pushing [vaccinations] so much [because] the more we can stop other viruses from spreading, the easier it’s going to be for everyone,” Van Orman said.