As omicron surges around the globe, USC retains mask requirement in buildings

As the omicron variant of COVID-19 surges around the globe, the University of South Carolina is bracing for increased cases by keeping its indoor mask mandate in place.

By Jan. 10, students, faculty and staff who will be at USC in spring semester 2022 will be required to provide a vaccination record card, proof of a COVID-19 infection within the last 90 days or a negative COVID-19 test taken between Jan. 3 and Jan. 10, according to USC’s website. The requirements apply to students living on or off campus.

USC will also retain several policies it has rolled out to contain the spread of COVID-19. Students, faculty and staff who will be physically on campus will be required to take monthly COVID-19 tests, beginning Jan. 18. Students and employees in buses, classrooms, medical centers and other campus buildings will be required to wear masks. Masks will not be required inside dorm rooms or while eating.

USC credits masks with helping to control the spread of COVID-19 on campus and said the policy will continue “due to unknowns related to the omicron variant as we begin the spring 2022 semester,” according to USC’s website.

USC is not requiring vaccinations, but encourages them and offers them on campus from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Center for Health and Well-Being.

Cases on campus have remained low. USC has not seen a triple-digit number of cases since late September, according to the university’s coronavirus dashboard.

While USC, which is on winter break, has yet to see increased cases from the omicron variant, other places have not been so lucky. Cases of the omicron variant have doubled in the U.S. every two to four days, according to the New York Times. Scientists believe that while the omicron variant is highly contagious and more resistant to vaccines, it is less dangerous than previous variants, according to USATODAY.

This story was originally published December 20, 2021 at 12:08 PM.