Changes to campus COVID-19 policies and guidelines

As we transition into the summer semester, we, the UIC COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Epidemiology Program (CCTEP) will be updating our processes and procedures to align with the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration and other campus changes. Please note that at every step of the pandemic, our changes have been made upon careful consideration of campus and community conditions and to meet the needs of those who are infected with or exposed to COVID-19. We ask that you take a moment to read through all of the changes, so you are aware of our upcoming changes.

Effective Monday, May 15, 2023:

As always, please note that the below isolation and post-exposure guidance is for UIC campus faculty, staff, and students who are not UI Health affiliates, not engaged in patient-facing clinical activities in healthcare settings, and who are not engaged in research studies that require contact with research subjects. UI Health affiliates and campus members with these types of clinical or patient/research participant-facing duties should refer to UI Health guidelines posted on the UIH intranet.

If you test positive for COVID-19 you are required to isolate for a minimum of 5 days from when you were tested for COVID-19 (if you do not have symptoms) or from when you first began having symptoms of COVID-19.

• Keep in mind, upon returning to campus, you are required to mask in all settings on UIC’s campus until day 10 of illness has elapsed.
• Masks should be well-fitted, and cover your nose, mouth, and chin. Wearing a high-quality mask can help further reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19.
  • Loosely woven cloth products provide the least protection, layered finely woven products offer more protection, well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s offer even more protection, and well-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators (including N95s) offer the highest level of protection.
• If you had symptoms of COVID-19, please note there are additional criteria you must meet before returning to campus.

If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19, recommended guidance will no longer be dependent upon the type of exposure you had.

• Quarantine continues to not be required.
• Seek testing no sooner than 5 days after you were exposed.
• Wear a high-quality mask or respirator (e.g., KN95 or N95) any time you are around others inside your home or in public and in all settings on UIC’s campus through day 10 from your last exposure.
• Monitor yourself for symptoms of COVID-19. If you develop symptoms, seek COVID-19 testing as soon as possible.
  • If you are utilizing a COVID-19 self-test and test negative, consider repeating testing 48 hours later.

We will continue to offer guidance and support to students who report to us following a positive COVID-19 test, onset of COVID-19 symptoms, or exposure to someone with COVID-19.  UIC employees testing positive for COVID-19, who were exposed to someone with COVID-19, or who have symptoms of COVID-19 will no longer be required to report to contact tracing and should follow departmental call-in procedures.

• The UIC COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Epidemiology Program (CCTEP) will remain available as a resource for campus employees who have questions related to the above guidance or who require assistance navigating isolation or the post-exposure period.
• We ask that you monitor your UIC inbox for any communications from our team (uic_contact_tracing@uic.edu), which will continue to be our primary way of communicating important public health information and individual advice to you. Please note select individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or report symptoms of COVID-19 may still receive communication by phone (312-355-2555).
• Instructors and supervisors will no longer be notified by CCTEP when a student or an employee attends class or work while infectious. Again, students and employees are advised to communicate their need to stay home with their instructor or supervisor.

All campus employees will be required to receive clearance from UHS when their COVID absence exceeds 3 days. To receive clearance, employees have two options:

1. Call (312) 996-7420 to schedule a virtual office visit with a Nurse Practitioner OR
2. Go to the UHS clinic at 835 S. Wolcott Suite 144, Chicago, IL, 60612.
3. Virtual and in-person appointments are offered between the hours of 7:00am and 4:00pm. The last patient will be registered at 3:45pm. Please note, our office is closed on holidays.

Please remember, the COVID-19 paid administrative leave offered in accordance with Illinois Public Act 102-0697 is expected to end after May 11^th. As such, employees will need to utilize their accrued sick leave or other appropriate leave time.

A number of changes are expected to occur nationwide when the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration ends on May 11^th; most notably, many free testing resources will no longer be operational. We encourage you to check with your insurers to determine which services for COVID-19 testing and treatment will be partially or fully covered. However, we understand navigating isolation and the post-exposure period can be challenging. Reach out to us by email or phone for questions, guidance, or support (see pertinent email address, phone number above).

Vaccination continues to be an important strategy in reducing the severity of COVID-19 illness and the risk of hospitalization and death. Numerous studies have also shown that even a single dose of the vaccine reduces a person’s risk of long-COVID though, boosting offers the most protection.

• Bivalent COVID vaccine promotion will continue on campus while supplies last.
• The CDC’s advisory committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently updated guidance for bivalent vaccination, we encourage you to review these recommendations.

The following resources and tools are provided below for your reference:

• The UIC Reporting Tool is essential for informing us about changes to your COVID-19 status (e.g., off-campus positive COVID-19 test results, COVID-19 symptom development, or exposure to others with COVID-19).
  • Available for all UIC and UI Health students, faculty, and staff.
• Test to treat site locator in Illinois for additional access to testing and treatment and other Illinois testing sites.
• The Illinois Department of Public Health has partnered with the Rockefeller Foundation to provide FREE at-home test kits to Illinois households through Project ACT.
• Travel Guidance
  • We have multiple resources for travelers, both for university sponsored and personal reasons, including this easy-to-follow guide.
    • University sponsored travel guidance can be found on the VCHA website.
    • Pre- and post-travel
  • UIC COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Epidemiology Program Website and Resources.
  • Isolation and Quarantine Policy at UIC, which will be updated with new guidance.

Stay well,

UIC COVID-19 Contact Tracing and Epidemiology Program