University of South Carolina with Covid requirements starting this fall for students, staff

Columbia, South Carolina – University of South Carolina students received a letter on Friday with the latest Covid-19 requirements before they return to campus this fall.

According to the latter, students will have to provide a proof that they are fully vaccinated, test negative or had the disease before they can return to campus.

The same requirements apply for on-campus and off-campus students as well as faculty and staff.

These are the requirements:

• A negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test conducted no more than 10 days prior to their arrival on campus
• Proof of a prior positive COVID-19 infection within the last 90 days
• A completed COVID-10 vaccination record

Students who live on-campus will be required to provide the information relative to their respective move-in dates, the letter states. Students who live off-campus and faculty and staff must provide it by Aug. 18.

University of South Carolina officials said they decided to put in the place these requirements as a result of the latest information provided by the CDC that surges in Covid-19 infections are expected this fall. The Delta variant, known to be much more infectious and, has already been confirmed on the campus.

“This is why we must continue to take this virus seriously and work together to reduce its spread by employing scientifically proven mitigation strategies, such as vaccination,” the letter states. “In alignment with guidance from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, we strongly encourage you to get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so to protect yourself and others.”

Face masks will also be required in most of the facilities including the Center for Health and Well-Being and the Thomson Student Health Center. Additionally, face masks will also be required on shuttles, buses and other forms of university transportation.

One of the first universities to put in place Covid-19 requirements was Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Students and staff opposed the university’s decision, but the court decided that the IU can require them to get vaccinated.