Masking Recommendations
Medical-grade masks are effective in preventing the spread of many respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. We strongly recommend wearing a mask if experiencing any symptoms of a respiratory illness.
Masks are available at the Campus Safety and Security Office on the first floor of the Anne Cole building, 24 hours, 7 days a week, as well as the Ahmanson Hall lobby, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Vaccinations
Vaccines are safe and effective tools that protect against a wide range of serious illnesses such as the flu, COVID-19, measles, and pertussis. We highly encourage staying up to date on all required and recommended vaccines, including the yearly flu and COVID vaccines.
Flu vaccines are available from the Student Health and Wellness Center during the fall for all staff, faculty, and students. Flu vaccines can also be obtained through a primary care provider or local pharmacies.
COVID-19 and Acute Respiratory Illness Community Guidelines
If you feel sick with cold, influenza (flu), or COVID-19 symptoms, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) recommends that you:
- Stay home away from others until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication and other symptoms are improving.
- Get tested. The LACDPH recommends testing negative for COVID or flu before resuming normal activities. Testing helps make sure you get the right treatment and don’t spread germs to others. If you test negative but continue to feel sick, test again 48 hours later. If you continue testing negative while feeling sick, talk to your doctor about testing for other respiratory pathogens, especially if you are at high risk for severe illness.
- If you test positive for COVID-19 or flu, get treatment. Talk to your healthcare provider about options.
- Wear a well-fitting mask around others while you feel sick. Masks can help prevent the spread of germs, including COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.
- Avoid contact with high-risk individuals for 10 days after you start feeling sick. This includes the elderly, people who reside temporarily or live in high-risk congregate settings, or people who are immunocompromised.
If you test positive for COVID-19 or a healthcare provider diagnoses you with COVID-19:
- If you have symptoms:
- Follow the steps above for symptoms of a cold, flu, or COVID-19.
- If you do not have symptoms, you do not need to stay home as long as you:
- Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after you tested positive.
- Monitor for symptoms. If you start feeling sick, immediately follow the instructions above.
If you are in close contact of someone with COVID-19:
- Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after your last exposure. Since it is possible to be infected without symptoms, exposed individuals could unknowingly spread COVID-19. This is especially important if you have contact with high-risk individuals, such as people who reside temporarily or live in high-risk congregate settings, or are immunocompromised.
- Monitor your health for 10 days after your last exposure. If you start to feel sick, immediately follow instructions above for people who feel sick with symptoms of COVID-19.
- Get tested three to five days after you were last exposed.
Contact Tracing
When a member of the Otis community tests positive for COVID-19, a system of contract tracing is implemented, during which they are interviewed to identify and provide support to people who may have been infected through their exposure. This confidential contact tracing process prevents further transmission of the virus by separating people who have or may have COVID-19 from people who do not.
Students who test positive for COVID-19 should not come to campus and instead reach out to the Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) by calling 310-846-5738 or emailing studenthealth@otis.edu.
Staff or faculty who test positive for COVID-19 should email Denise Schlegel, Business Manager, Human Resources and Development, at dschlegel@otis.edu.