Dear 7C Students,

I hope that this new calendar year and new semester finds you healthy and well. While all the campuses, public health officials and our staff at SHS continue to encourage students to not return to the Claremont area due to ongoing high COVID-19 disease prevalence and transmission rates, we recognize that some students do not have that option or have chosen to return to the area despite these warnings.

For this group of students, I would like to reinforce that COVID-19 continues to pose a serious risk to everyone’s health, including our relatively young undergraduate population. Long term effects and sequalae of even “mild” COVID-19 infection remain under investigation. There are documented reports of potential long-term lung (“respiratory”), heart (“cardiac”), brain fog (“neurologic”), mental health (“psychiatric”) and even male fertility (“reproductive”) problems. Thus, I cannot emphasize enough the need for students to take this disease seriously, follow public health guidelines, and limit their social interactions to very carefully designed “pods”.

Students who have returned to California and/or the LA area should also be aware that they are required to quarantine for 10 days after travel, as per a California Department of Public Health travel advisory as well as a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health directive.

SHS continues to remain in operation during the Spring 2021 semester for students living locally. We are providing mostly telephone visits with follow up in-person visits only if the student’s provider determines it is necessary and safe to do so. Please feel free to call and make an appointment if you have any health concerns, COVID or otherwise. Appointments can be made by calling (909) 621-8222 or via your health portal.

COVID testing, both rapid antigen and PCR, is available through SHS. If a student has any COVID-like symptoms, has possibly been exposed to COVID, or would otherwise just like to have a COVID test for surveillance purposes, please do make an appointment with a SHS provider to discuss the appropriate testing for your individual situation. Please note that if you are a Claremont McKenna College (CMC) student, you are required to access COVID related care through CMC’s COVID Clinic, in partnership with Hamilton Health Box. However, CMC students can still make appointments at SHS for non-COVID care.

For those students who have not moved back to the Claremont area, please know that SHS has partnered with TimelyMD to provide you with 24/7 on-demand access to a telehealth service, 7C.Health. 7C.Health is available for medical services to all students living domestically as well as mental health counseling to domestic and internationally based students. While this is a great service for students who don’t have access to SHS to utilize, I want to make sure even locally based students with SHS access realize that they can utilize 7C.Health anytime, if they prefer.

We have seen some improvement recently in various COVID related metrics. I remain hopeful that with continued adherence to public health guidelines, along with the ongoing COVID vaccination rollout, we will turn the corner on this pandemic soon. All our SHS staff looks forward to the prospect of welcoming students back on campus in the Fall of 2021.

Take care. Stay safe. Stay healthy.

Sincerely,

Prateek Jindal, D.O.

Director, Student Health Services