A copy of your COVID-19 vaccine card should be either emailed to
studenthealth@otis.edu or uploaded to your OwlCare Portal.

We are accepting medical, religious and philosophical exemptions to the COVID-19
vaccine requirement. For more information and exemption forms, please visit this
website.

• Students who choose not to be vaccinated will have access to everything that vaccinated students have. No activities, dining options, or classes will be closed off to students who are not vaccinated.
• Unvaccinated students will be required to participate in weekly surveillance/screening diagnostic COVID-19 testing. Additional details will be e-mailed to students who need surveillance/screening diagnostic testing. All testing will take place outside, on the back side of Ahmanson (near the red tent).
• If there is an outbreak on campus, unvaccinated, non-housing students will be asked to leave campus and return when told it is safe to return. Those who are asked to leave campus will have virtual access to their classes.
• If there is an outbreak on campus, unvaccinated, housing students will be asked to isolate (either on-campus or at the student’s primary residence depending on space available) until cleared to move back to their previous Residence Hall room or apartment. These students will also have virtual access to their classes. 

“Surveillance” or "Screening Diagnostic" testing refers to regular testing for individuals who are not experiencing
any COVID-19 symptoms. Surveillance/screening diagnostic testing will be provided to all unvaccinated
students and is an added measure to minimizing the spread of COVID-19. There will be
no added cost for this testing. Testing will be required for all unvaccinated or "not fully vaccinated" students on a weekly basis. 

Students who do not comply with surveillance/screening diagnostic testing will be notified via email and/or phone call. If the student lives in housing, then housing staff will also be notified.  The student will be given the opportunity for make up testing, however, further noncompliance and continued missed tests will result in emails sent to the VP of Campus Life and the Assistant Provost. In addition, Academic chairs will be notified of the student’s noncompliance with testing.  If the student does not follow-up with a makeup test then the student will not be allowed to come to campus/classes.

Yes, all students who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated will need to do covid-19 screening diagnostic testing upon move-in and then every week after. Students will be provided more information from our COVID Nurse during their move-in day. Students who do not comply with this, will not be able to move into Otis housing. 

For students who are fully vaccinated, regardless if you live out-of-state or from another
Country, you do not need to quarantine upon your arrival to Otis College.

• Yes, you will need to quarantine based on the LA County Travel guidelines, which can be
• found here. These guidelines continually change and we encourage you to check this
• site regularly, as it may impact your travel plans. As of June 15th, the guidelines
• recommend:
  • All unvaccinated travelers coming into LA County from another country or another state (outside of California) will need to:
    • Quarantine for a full 7 days after traveling AND get a negative COVID-19 viral test (swab or saliva) result from a specimen collected on days 3-5 after your arrival.
    • Quarantine for a full 10 days after traveling if you do not get tested with a COVID-19 viral test after your arrival
    • Continue to monitor yourself for any symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after your arrival AND avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness. Immediately isolate and notify the SHWC or your medical provider if you develop any symptoms.

• People are considered fully vaccinated:
  • 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
  • 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

At this time, we are accepting vaccines from other countries. We will be following the
approved vaccine list from the WHO. This approved vaccine list from the WHO can be
reviewed here.

Yes, we will be holding various COVID-19 vaccine clinics on-campus throughout the
summer and the start of Fall 2021. Please check your Otis email regularly for any emails
from the SHWC regarding upcoming vaccine clinic dates and times.

Documentation that you have received the COVID-19 vaccine or have an exemption to
the vaccine is due by August 15th.

I’m an International student who is unable to get vaccinated in my country, but I am
arriving to Otis in July or August and will have received only one dose of the COVID-19
vaccine before August 15th (or before the start of school on August 30th). Will I be
allowed to come onto campus?

Yes, you will be able to come onto campus. We understand that many of our
international students are having difficulty getting vaccinated prior to the start of school.
Please turn in a copy of your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and let us know when
your 2nd dose is scheduled so that we can keep track of your vaccine status.

Students who do not comply with the COVID-19 vaccine requirement (either fully vaccinated with an FDA or WHO approved COVID-19 Vaccine or completed the COVID-19 exemption form) will not be able to attend class or campus until compliance is met.