Looking for Omicron at UC-SD

UC San Diego tells students who traveled over Thanksgiving to get tested for COVID-19

San Diego Union-Tribune, Gary Robbins, 12-2-21

UC San Diego on Thursday sent a message to its nearly 43,000 students telling them that they should get tested for COVID-19 “as soon as possible” if they traveled over the Thanksgiving break, whether they are vaccinated or not. “While cases have not increased significantly in San Diego County or on our campus, they are expected to trend upward due to Fall Break travel,” the message said. The statement reflects concern about the newly discovered Omicron variant, which scientists say could be more contagious than the Delta strain and potentially more harmful.

UCSD scientists have joined in the global effort to determine whether current vaccines and existing and experimental drugs will be effective against Omicron. The new variant was first reported in South Africa on Nov. 24. The first case in the U.S. was reported Wednesday in San Francisco. The case involves a man who had recently traveled to South Africa. He was vaccinated against COVID-19 but had yet to get the booster shot. Thursday’s message represents a sharp change in tone for UCSD, the largest university south of Los Angeles.

In November 2020, the school implored students not to travel over Thanksgiving, or to get tested before they left campus. This year, the school didn’t urge either course of action before the holiday. Instead, officials said they would test students when they got back. They didn’t envision telling students to do it ASAP. 

Dr. Davey Smith, chief of infectious diseases at UCSD, said, “There is a chance we could find (Omicron in the new testing) but I bet we find it in the community first.” ...

Full story at https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2021-12-02/uc-san-diego-students-tested-covid-19.