The University of Chicago

Coronavirus Updates

This website provides the latest COVID-19 health information and related campus announcements. For Spring Quarter resources and continuity information, including guidance and updates on remote learning and working, housing, financial aid, and more, please visit spring2020.uchicago.edu.

Latest UChicago Updates

If you need medical attention, please contact your primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider, call your nearest hospital or urgent care facility. In case of an emergency, call 911.

As we continue to closely monitor novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and respond to the new and evolving situation, our goal is to protect the health, safety, and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. We remain committed to our distinctive environment for education, research, and impact, and being responsible participants in the collective global public health challenge. If you have additional questions, please email us at coronavirusinfo@uchicago.edu.

Campus Operations Status

  • The University is suspending all nonessential international and domestic University travel, effective immediately until further notice. More information.
  • The start of Spring Quarter was delayed by one week, from Monday, March 30 to Monday, April 6 for most units on campus. This delayed start means Spring Quarter will have nine weeks of instruction.
  • The University has ceased dine-in service for all on-campus dining halls and cafes for Spring Quarter.
    • Baker Dining Commons and the Maroon Market will offer take-out options.
  • Principal investigators who lead research teams and directors of research facilities should ramp down to only essential individuals and operations until further notice. Vital research related to COVID-19 will continue. More information.
  • The Gerald Ratner Athletics Center and Henry Crown Field House are closed until further notice.
  • The Regenstein Library, Crerar, Eckhart, Mansueto, SSA, the D’Angelo Law Library, and the All Night study are closed. Available online library services and resources.
  • Campus shuttles are running normally, with flexibility to change operations if necessary to align with public health guidance.
  • All academic and administrative campus buildings can now be opened only by a small list of essential personnel with secure key card access.

Recent Announcements

Archived Announcements

What We Know About Coronavirus

Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Emily Landon. I’m an adult infectious diseases doctor at the University of Chicago Medicine. And I’m the hospital epidemiologist. I’m leading our medical response to COVID-19. And today, I’m going to answer some of your questions and talk to you more about what this means for you. The coronavirus that we’re facing in this global pandemic is not that bad for people who are otherwise healthy and especially for young people. Almost all of young people and healthy people will be just fine, even after they get sick. So it can be a little bit confusing as to why we’re shutting everything down and sending everyone home for e-learning and why hospitals are taking such drastic measures.

The important thing to know is that, while it may be fine for most people, there are a small number of people– about 15% of individuals who get sick– who will need additional medical care. Of them, another small percentage of that number will need critical resources, like a ventilator and other intensive care services in hospitals. And while it seems like a small number, when the entire population is susceptible to this disease and any number of us could get sick, it’s important to remember that our hospitals aren’t really set up to take care of 10% or 15% of the entire population at one time.

That’s why we need to slow the spread of this disease. And the important thing is for even the healthy, young people, who are going to be feeling relatively good, just maybe having a cough and a fever, who might stay home for a couple of days and then go out and hang out with their friends or go to work. They’re going to be able to pass it on during that time. And they’re even able to pass it on before they get all the way feeling sick.

And that means we have to act proactively. You have to stay home now. And we have to avoid contact with lots of other people, so that if you become sick later, then fewer people will have been exposed and fewer people will get sick. Those of you who study any math will know that if every one person who’s sick infects three more people and that continues on that way, it won’t take very long for us to be able to max out our capacity in hospitals.

You need to do your part to protect everyone else. It’s important to keep that in perspective. This isn’t the kind of pandemic that’s going to kill us all. And we don’t need to freak out about it, but we do need to take very serious measures to change the way we behave and the way we live. We don’t have a vaccine. And we don’t have antivirals. And so we’re not going to be able to just use those tools to help protect the most vulnerable among us.

Instead, the only tool we have is you staying away from other people. I know it seems kind of remote to imagine that your behavior, going out on campus, or hanging out with your friends is going to affect a nursing home on the other side of the city, but we’re all connected. And it’s important– really important– that you take this idea and this advice to heart and do everything you can.

Obviously, I’m not saying to socially isolate yourself so that you completely get depressed. In fact, you should still talk to your friends– just do it electronically when you can. See some people once in a while in very small groups. Go out and take a. Walk there’s no better place for germs than the sunlight and the open air. Just don’t hang out with a bunch of people in a close, closed space.

Yeah, we all have to accept that we’re going to have some contacts with other people in our lives, right? I have a son at home. And we have some close friends that live next door to us in our building. And we’re kind of all a little team. If one of us gets sick, we’ve already accepted that most of us are going to get sick. But as long as we keep the infections inside that closed group, then we’re going to be doing our part to help prevent the spread to other people.

So if you get someone who’s sick in your building or in your room, you’re going to need to be careful. First off, somebody else sick in a building that you live in that isn’t close to you and not living in your building isn’t really that big of a risk for you, especially if you’re following the instructions about washing your hands, wiping things down, cleaning things off, and using hand sanitizer. Don’t touch those elevator buttons with your fingers. Use your elbow. Don’t be shaking hands with people. Those are the things that you can do to help reduce your risk from those sort of casual contacts in your general vicinity.

Now, people who live close to you, if you all live in the same place, it’s very possible that if you get sick, the other ones will as well. If you’re somehow vulnerable because of your health status, then you might want to rethink your living situation, talk to the people that you can reach about this situation, talk to your doctor, talk to your parents, talk to your counselors and your residence advisors. That’s how you’re going to get the situation sorted out. If somebody does get sick, the best thing to do is to follow the guidelines on the CDC’s website about what to do if someone’s sick in your house.

Just because one person is sick doesn’t mean for sure that everyone else has to get sick. And there are measures you can take to help protect yourself and to protect the other people living in that area. Go to cdc.gov and look for how to take care of someone who’s sick in my house.

Everybody’s asking how long we’re going to have to do this for. And I wish I had a good answer for you. Unfortunately, the answer is, the longer it takes, the better. And the less dramatic everything is in the hospitals and on the news, the better it is for all of us. The best outcome here is that we all stay home for a long time– much longer than we thought we were going to have to– and nothing big and important happens.

If you find that, when this is all over, that you feel like, why did I have to stay inside? Why did we have to do this thing where we did e-learning? We should have just stayed at school, everything worked. That’s how you’ll know that it was the right thing to do. If we wait until things are already out of control before we start taking measures, like closing down bars, schools, going to e-learning, it’s already too late. We’ve already overwhelmed our hospitals. And that’s not going to help anyone.

At this point, we still have the opportunity to slow the spread. We’re not containing anything. A lot of people are still going to get sick, but if we spread it out over longer and we take these social distancing measures, it’ll be really disruptive, really difficult, and completely different than anything you’ve ever done in your life before, but it will really help. Fewer people will die. Fewer people will have bad outcomes. And we’ll all be better off because of it.

A video message from Assoc. Prof. Emily Landon, a specialist in infectious disease at UChicago Medicine, that answers important questions about the disease and the diligence needed, particularly among those who are young and healthy, to reduce its spread.

Why We Should Stay Home

Assoc. Prof. Emily Landon speaks at Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 news conference on March 20. She explains why the statewide order to stay at home is crucial to protecting everyone.

Public Health Information on Novel Coronavirus

How to Protect Yourself

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus.

  • CDC recommends everyday preventative actions such as:
    • Wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies). How to make a mask.
    • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
    • If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
    • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
    • Stay home as much as possible.
    • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash; alternatively use the inside of your elbow.
    • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.

Travel Advisories

  • The U.S. State Department has increased the global health advisory travel warning to Level 4, urging U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19.
  • The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Global COVID-19 Pandemic Notice (Level 3), which recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential international travel due to widespread ongoing transmission.
  • On March 28, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a domestic travel advisory for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut and urges residents of those states to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days.
  •  

Travel Guidelines

For the general University population, the following travel guidelines are intended to lower the risk of exposure.

  • The University is suspending all nonessential international and domestic travel travel until further notice, and we urge similar caution in planning personal travel at this time. For further guidance, please view these travel related FAQs.
  • The U.S. State Department has increased the global health advisory travel warning to Level 4, urging U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19.

Support

  • Students: We encourage any student who is not feeling well or who has questions or concerns to contact the Student Health Service at 773-702-4156. Students who need immediate counseling care should call 773-702-9800.
  • Faculty and Staff: The Staff and Faculty Assistance Program (SFAP) is a confidential program that provides support, counseling, and other resources for challenges that may arise.

Further Questions

General Information

What is coronavirus (COVID-19)?
According to the CDC, COVID-19 is respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in China and which has now been detected in 60 locations internationally, including in the United States. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”). Click here for more information.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the symptoms for coronavirus (COVID-19) as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Keep in mind that these symptoms are similar to those of other, more common respiratory illnesses, such as influenza.

CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

What is the State of Illinois’ “stay at home” order?

The State of Illinois has issued a “stay at home” order effective through May 30. The order is intended to reduce the spread of coronavirus by asking Illinois residents to stay at home as much as possible, while providing for continuation of essential activities. Click here for more on how Chicago residents can abide by the order.

Have members of the University community tested positive for coronavirus?

On March 17, the University of Chicago announced its first case of COVID-19 on the Hyde Park campus. As of April 22, the University has 26 reported cases of COVID-19 among students, faculty, staff, other academic appointees, or postdoctoral researchers, excluding the medical center. We will update this number on a weekly basis. (Note – These figures are not intended to be comprehensive, as they rely on self-reporting.)

The University provides case notifications for close contacts and other individuals who may be directly affected, in accordance with CDC and CDPH guidance. We regularly receive input from infectious disease experts to ensure that notifications are timely and useful in guiding behavior, while protecting the privacy of patients.

As noted by Provost Ka Yee C. Lee and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Kenneth Polonsky, the University expects significantly higher rates of infection in Chicago over the coming weeks. The University strongly recommends that individuals stay home as much as possible, as instructed in Governor Pritzker’s ‘stay at home’ order, and self-monitor for symptoms.

What should I do if I’ve had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19?

Following protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the University and the University of Chicago Medicine will work with local public health authorities to quickly identify and contact people who may have had close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. We will provide guidance and advice to those who have had close contact with the diagnosed individual, ranging from self-monitoring for symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) to self-isolation at home for 14 days.

If you believe you have met the definition of close contact with a COVID-19 patient, the CDC recommends that you stay home until 14 days after exposure; maintain social distance from others at all times; avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe illness; and follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.

What does close contact mean?

The CDC defines close contact as “persons within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) or within the room or care area of a confirmed or probable case patient for a prolonged period of time, or with direct contact with infectious secretions while the case patient was likely to be infectious (beginning 1 day prior to illness onset and continuing until resolution of illness).

What does self-monitoring mean?

According to the CDC, self-monitoring means people should monitor themselves for fever by taking their temperatures twice a day and remain alert for cough or difficulty breathing. If they feel feverish or develop measured fever, cough, or difficulty breathing during the self-monitoring period, they should self-isolate, limit contact with others, and seek advice by telephone from a healthcare provider.

Is it safe for me to live with someone who has no symptoms and is in self-quarantine?

According to the CDC, individuals who are at high-risk for getting very sick from COVID-19, should stay away from those who are self-quarantining. Others should continue to practice social distancing wherever possible.

I am experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms. What should I do?
  • CDC recommends the actions listed below. For a medical emergency, call 911.  
    • Stay home except to get medical care
    • Call ahead before visiting your care provider
    • Separate yourself from other people and pets in your home; this is known as home isolation
    • Cover your coughs and sneezes
    • Clean your hands often
    • Avoid sharing personal household items
    • Clean all “high-touch” surfaces everyday
    • Monitor your symptoms
  • When to Seek Medical Attention (emergency warning signs include but are not limited to):
    • Trouble breathing
    • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
    • New confusion or inability to arouse
    • Bluish lips or face

For detailed information, visit the CDC webpage here.

Can I see my doctor online if I’m on a University of Chicago medical plan?

 All of the University of Chicago plans are offering telemedicine options. More information is available here.

Is COVID-19 testing available for members of the campus community?

Students, academics, and staff who already receive medical care at the University of Chicago Medical Center, may contact their doctor through their MyChart account and, if appropriate, schedule an appointment for COVID-19 testing. Please note: Testing is not available for the general public at this time. If you don’t receive care at UChicago Medicine, you should contact your own primary care provider.

How do we donate blood to UCM?

Volunteers are welcome to donate blood at the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine, 5758 S. Maryland Avenue, Room 2E. Please call 773-702-6247 to make an appointment. 

Precautionary Steps and Information

What can I do to reduce my risk of COVID-19 exposure?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus. CDC recommends everyday preventative actions that you can find here. The University also recommends that you practice social distancing.  

Should I wear a facemask to prevent infection?

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. 

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.  Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

For more information go here.

Should I stock up on essentials?
Ready.gov recommends that individuals build an emergency kit for use in any emergency. You can find more information here.
How do I know whether I’ve come into contact with an infected person?

According to CDC’s exposure risk guidelines, there is growing evidence of transmission risk from infected persons without symptoms or before the onset of recognized symptoms. There is also increased community transmission in many parts of the United States. All U.S. residents, other than those with a known risk exposure, should be on alert for symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath. CDC also recommends that U.S. residents practice social distancing and follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.

What should I do if my roommate or housemate gets sick?

Your roommate should seek medical advice, particularly if they recently traveled to an area with reported community spread or have been in contact with someone who may have been exposed to COVID-19, and begins to feel sick with fever or cough, or has difficulty breathing.

• Use a separate room and bathroom for sick household members (if possible).
• Clean hands regularly by handwashing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Provide your sick household member with clean disposable facemasks to wear at home, if available, to help prevent spreading COVID-19 to others. Call Student Health Service for support. (773-702-4156).
• Clean the sick room and bathroom, as needed, to avoid unnecessary contact with the sick person.
• Avoid sharing personal items like utensils, food, and drinks.

How can I access counseling care?
Students should contact Student Health Service at 773-702-4156. If you need immediate counseling care, please call 773-702-9800.

Faculty and staff may contact the Staff and Faculty Assistance Program, which provides support, counseling, and other resources for needs that may arise.

Travel

Is University-sponsored travel allowed?

The University is suspending all nonessential international and domestic University travel, effective immediately until further notice.. Essential travel is defined as supporting activities that are absolutely necessary, cannot be rescheduled, and must be done in person; further questions should be directed to appropriate deans or officers.

For additional guidance, please view these travel related FAQs.

Are Study Abroad programs continuing?
The University is suspending all faculty-led Study Abroad programs for Spring 2020. We will work on a case-by-case basis with College students who are currently abroad on direct enrollment programs. The University remains committed to international education and research, and we look forward to resuming normal activities when conditions allow.
I’m planning a personal trip abroad or within the United States. What should I consider?

The same public health considerations that led the University to suspend nonessential international and domestic University travel until further notice apply to personal trips as well.

How can I get help if something happens while I’m traveling overseas?

The U.S. State Department increased the global health advisory travel warning to Level 4, urging U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. We strongly recommend that all faculty, staff, students, other academic appointees, and postdoctoral researchers currently traveling internationally consider now whether to return to the U.S. as options for travel may be further curtailed. Especially in light of the new State Department guidance, the University’s ability to provide assistance to travelers who wish to return home will be limited.

Campus Life

Will Convocation ceremonies still take place?

The 533rd Convocation ceremonies will not be held on campus in June 2020 as originally planned. Given the current guidance from the CDC, other public health officials, and our own faculty and physicians working on the forefront of the COVID-19 response, and the understanding of the trajectory of the pandemic, it is not practical or responsible to proceed with planning an in-person gathering of more than 15,000 people.

We are planning a virtual Convocation ceremony to take place on June 13, to confer degrees and celebrate the dedication and accomplishments of the Class of 2020. The University is also prepared to deliver the physical diploma to each student who receives the degree as soon as possible thereafter. Finally, we invite all graduates in the Class of 2020 to return to campus in June 2021 and participate fully in the 534th Convocation ceremonies. We will use this opportunity for a special acknowledgement and celebration of the accomplishments of 2020 graduates in the presence of faculty, students’ families, and the broader community. More info.

Is the University moving to online classes?

The University of Chicago will move to remote learning for undergraduate and graduate classes for the entire Spring Quarter of 2020, beginning on Monday, April 6, the first day of the Spring Quarter.

I’m hosting an event on campus. What should I consider?

All events on campus have been suspended until further notice.

Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation

What is social distancing?

According to the CDC, social distancing means remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding local public transportation (e.g., bus, subway, taxi, ride share), and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others.

Should I practice social distancing?

 Limiting face-to-face contact with others is the best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The University recommends that the University community continues to practice social distancing. You can find more information on CDC’s public health recommendations page.

Are the quad and other green spaces on campus open?

For now, the University is keeping the campus and quad areas open, so long as people who use these areas continue to practice social distancing. According to the City of Chicago’s guide to help local residents abide by the stay at home order, outdoor exercise like walking, running, or cycling is allowed. But these activities must be done while keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from others. Additionally, the order bans gatherings of 10 or more people in outdoor areas, as well as close-contact group sports, including basketball, soccer, and touch football.

We ask for your help in keeping your distance from others and refraining from forming groups in public areas. The University of Chicago Police Department will monitor campus spaces with these guidelines in mind.

What does quarantine mean?

According to the CDC, quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Someone in self-quarantine stays separated from others, and they limit movement outside of their home or current place. A person may have been exposed to the virus without knowing it (for example, when traveling or out in the community), or they could have the virus without feeling symptoms. Quarantine helps limit further spread of COVID-19.

What does isolation mean?

According to the CDC, isolation is used to separate sick people from healthy people. People who are in isolation should stay home. In the home, anyone sick should separate themselves from others by staying in a specific “sick” bedroom or space and using a different bathroom (if possible).

When should I practice self-isolation or self-quarantine?

According to the CDC, If you feel healthy but have recently been in close contact with a person with COVID-19 or recently traveled from somewhere with active spread, you should self-quarantine. This means you check your temperature twice a day and watch for symptoms. You should also stay home for 14 days and if possible, stay away from people who are high-risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.

If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or are awaiting test results, or have symptoms such as cough, fever, or shortness of breath, you should self-isolate. This means you stay in a specific “sick room” or area away from other people. If possible, use a separate bathroom.

If I am in isolation or quarantine, how will I continue my work?
Graduate students should work directly with their faculty advisor, lab director, or dean of students to facilitate academic, research, or work continuity. Students in the College should reach out to their advisor or the dean of students office. Faculty should discuss specific research needs with your Dean, Chair, or Deputy Dean to ensure it is properly considered in your unit’s COVID-19 continuity planning. Staff should be in touch with their manager or local human resources partner to address questions related to working remotely.

University of Chicago Medical Center

What precautions is the hospital taking when testing/caring for COVID-19 patients?
The University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) is committed to providing safe and effective care to those who are being tested for COVID-19 and those who are infected. The Medical Center’s senior hospital leadership and leaders from the infectious diseases and infection prevention teams, along with other expert clinicians, are working closely with local, state and federal health officials and continue to apply up to date recommended guidelines. UCM follows rigorous isolation and infection control protocols to ensure the safety of staff, patients and neighbors.

More Information

Where do I find more information?