Dear Santa Clara University Community, 

Welcome to the Week 1 edition of the Prepared SCU Weekly Roundup. In this Friday digest, we share key information related to SCU’s response to COVID-19.

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COVID-19 Dashboard Update

This past week, the University 7-day test positivity rate increased to 7.6%, up from the 0.3% positivity rate we had on campus at the end of fall quarter. The 7-day positivity rate in Santa Clara County is 13.6%, and 21.4% in California. Track our progress on our COVID-19 Dashboard.  

Classes

We have extended online learning options through January 30, with the plan to return to in-person instruction on Monday, January 31. If faculty choose to teach in-person during this period, they will also accommodate students who request to access the course content remotely. All students remain welcome on campus, with services such as dining, campus recreation, and previously scheduled co-curricular activities continuing in modified formats.

Testing

On-campus residents are required to continue testing once per week, and all students, staff, and faculty are strongly encouraged to test weekly as well. If you receive a positive test result from an off-campus source, please report your positive result. Students who have not yet returned to campus must get tested twice during the first week that they return. 

Booster Shot Verification

All students, faculty, and staff are required to get a booster shot as soon as eligible, and all students must upload their updated vaccination information into the Cowell Center | My Student Health Portal by March 17, 2022. If you already received a University-approved exemption, this requirement does not apply to you. For faculty and staff, additional information on how to upload your booster vaccination information into Workday will be provided later in January. For more information on SCU’s vaccine requirements, read our COVID-19 vaccine FAQ.

Upcoming COVID-19 Vaccination Booster Clinics

SCU will host two booster shot clinics on January 21 and January 28, from 9 am - 5:30 pm at Locatelli Center. The booster is appropriate for everyone 5 months following the last Pfizer vaccination, 6 months following the last Moderna vaccination, or 2 months following the Johnson & Johnson vaccination.  All SCU community members who received any other WHO-approved vaccine are also eligible to receive a Pfizer booster if it has been more than five months since they completed the original series. You may register for the booster and an appointment directly with our partner, Carbon Health, who will be running the clinic for the University. There is no cost, and no insurance is needed. If you have problems registering, contact scu-support@carbonhealth.com for help.

Isolation Protocol Update

If you test positive, please observe all isolation protocols and precautions. Isolation can end after day 5 if symptoms are not present or are resolving and a rapid antigen test (not a PCR laboratory based test) taken on day 5 is negative. If the rapid antigen test taken on day 5 is positive, you must remain in isolation until day 7. On day 7, isolation can end if symptoms are not present and a rapid antigen test taken on day 7 is negative. If the rapid antigen test taken on day 7 is positive, you must remain in isolation until day 10.

Wishing you a healthy start to the winter quarter.
 

Stay safe and well,

SCU COVID-19 Operations Team