Students received the following message from the College of Charleston COVID-19 Leadership Team on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, regarding COVID-19 precautions for the upcoming academic year:
Dear Students,ย 

We are excited aboutย seeing you on campus for theย upcoming fall semester.ย 

Please keep in mind that COVID-19 remains endemic in our community, and itโ€™s important thatย we all remain vigilant in guarding against the spread of the virus.ย ย 

Please take the following recommendations into consideration as you prepare to return to campus.ย 

  • Have a supply of high-quality face masks (KN95 or similar)

  • Have a supply ofย COVID-19ย self-test kits on hand (at least four)โ€ฏ

  • Obtain the highest level ofย COVID-19ย vaccineโ€ฏfor which you qualify.ย Check if you are up to date on your COVID vaccine.ย 

  • Know your risk ahead of time if you are COVID positive. Have a plan to seek anti-viral therapy โ€” applies to those most at risk for complications, hospitalization and death.ย If you are someone who needs to consider antiviral therapy in the case of positive COVID-19 diagnosis, please consultย with your primary care provider andย check theย Test to Treat locationsย to findย locationsย near you.ย 

RELATED: College Announces COVID-19 Protocols for 2022-23 Academic Year

Please note that the term โ€œendemicโ€ refers to a disease that is circulating in a community at an expected or normal level, minus an occasional outbreak (for example, the flu). South Carolina, along with other states and the federal government, has begun treating COVID-19 as an endemic virus due to declining case and hospitalization rates as well as the increased availability of vaccines, treatments, and rapid testing. Through these resources along with preventive strategies like wearing masks when indicated, we can keep severe cases to a minimum and live our daily lives with an acceptable level of COVID-19 in the community. (SOURCE:ย https://scdhec.gov/covid19/managing-covid-19-endemic#testing)ย 

The COVID-19 protocols for the fall semester can be found onย Back on the Bricks. If you have any questions, please emailย covid-19@cofc.edu.ย 

We look forward to seeing you soon and appreciate your support in keeping our campus community safe and healthy.ย 

Sincerely,

College of Charleston COVID-19 Leadership Team