Coronavirus Information

Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Call Center

Johns Hopkins students, faculty, and staff who feel ill or are concerned about exposure to the coronavirus may call the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Call Center at 443-287-8500, seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The JHCCC is a COVID-19 testing and referral resource for JHU affiliates only and does not provide any information regarding the vaccine for the general public. More information on COVID-19 vaccine distribution can be found at hopkinsmedicine.org.

When you call the JHCCC, representatives will discuss next steps, arrange for testing if needed, and assist in transmitting information to Occupational Health or Student Affairs. The JHCCC will also manage the process to identify and assist people who may have had contact with someone who tests positive.

The JHCCC is staffed by Johns Hopkins nurses, physicians, and specially trained nursing and medical students, but you are always free to call your personal primary care provider, and should continue to do so for family members who have symptoms.

What happens when I call the JHCCC?

Callers will be asked a series of questions about their symptoms and possible exposure to others who have COVID-19.

If you meet the criteria set by the Johns Hopkins Infection Control Team in collaboration with Occupational Health:

  1. The JHCCC will arrange an appointment for a COVID-19 test for you
  2. You will receive instructions regarding quarantine before a test can be secured. Testing criteria are updated on a regular basis, and the most current criteria will be used when there is an assessment over the phone

If you test positive:

  1. You will be contacted by a health care worker to receive guidance regarding self-isolation, monitoring of symptoms, and general health advice
  2. Positive test results will be reported as required by law to the Maryland Department of Health, which will be responsible for the associated broad contact tracing

Investigation, contact analysis, notification (ICAN)

In addition to the state’s contact tracing process, the JHCCC will conduct a short interview with those who test positive regarding their on-campus activity and contact with other affiliates as part of our own investigation, contact analysis, notification process (ICAN), to help determine if other Johns Hopkins affiliates may have been exposed by an affiliate or in a JHU-associated environment.

The ICAN/JHCCC team will do everything in its power to maintain the anonymity of the test-positive affiliate. Johns Hopkins affiliates who may have had meaningful exposure to a COVID-19-positive affiliate will be notified, without being told the identity of the COVID-19-positive affiliate unless consent is provided. These additional affiliates will be advised to self-quarantine for a period determined by the date of the potential contact and exposure. If affiliates are not contacted by the JHCCC, it means the JHCCC has determined that no meaningful contact with or exposure to a COVID-19-positive affiliate has taken place.

If an employee tests positive

Supervisors of test-positive employees (faculty, staff, and post-docs) will not be notified of an employee’s COVID-positive status unless the employee gives consent to do so; the supervisor will simply be notified that the employee is off-duty. Test-positive employees must secure clearance for return to work from Occupational Health prior to returning to campus.

If a student tests positive

Students who have a test ordered and are asked to quarantine will be reported to their respective school’s student affairs representative as being “off-duty.” If a student provides consent, additional information will be provided. If the student tests negative, the school will be notified that the student is cleared. If consent is not provided by the student, a committee will review and evaluate the potential public health risk to others.

The committee can recommend and the university can elect to report the student’s COVID-positive status to the school’s student affairs representative without consent should the public health risks warrant such action. This will be a very rare circumstance. Test-positive students must secure clearance for return to class/campus from the Student Health Center prior to return.

Additional resources

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Frequently asked questions

How does the university learn if an employee or student working in a lab tests positive for COVID-19?

All students, faculty, and staff who are participating in on-campus activities should monitor themselves daily for any symptoms. Anyone who has symptoms associated with COVID-19 or who has concerns about exposure to COVID-19 is strongly encouraged to call the Johns Hopkins COVID Call Center, or JHCCC, at 833-546-7546 to be triaged to determine if they meet the criteria for testing. In the case of employees, their supervisor will be informed that the employee is “off-duty” until cleared. In the case of students, their school’s Student Affairs representative will be notified that the student is “off-duty.” The student’s name will be shared with the student’s consent.

The JHCCC will inform you of your test result if you are tested at a Johns Hopkins facility. If your test is negative, your supervisor or Student Affairs Representative will receive a message that you have been cleared. If you test positive, you will remain “off-duty” and there will be no additional communication to your supervisor or Student Affairs representative until you are cleared. You are encouraged but not required to share the information with your supervisor or Student Affairs representative.

Last updated: Dec 3, 2020 12:00am

How do I get cleared to go back to work or class after I recover from COVID-19?

Current CDC guidelines allow for anyone who is not severely immunocompromised to return to work if they meet the following criteria:

  1. At least 10 days have passed since symptom onset or asymptomatic testing
  2. At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without using fever-reducing medications
  3. Symptoms have improved.

Employees who believe they have met this criteria should call the Occupational Health Services at the Johns Hopkins COVID Call Center (410-614-6000) for an evaluation and clearance to return to work. Individuals who were first notified of the employee’s “off-duty” status will be informed by OHS that they are cleared to “return to duty.”

Students who need clearance to return to class should be instructed to do the following:

  • Students from the schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing should contact University Health Services at 410-955-3250 for an evaluation and clearance to return to class. Individuals who were first notified of the student’s “off-duty” status will be informed by UHS that they are cleared to “return to class.”
  • Students of any other JHU school should contact the Student Health and Wellness Center at 410-516-8270 for an evaluation and clearance to return to class. Individuals who were first notified of the student’s “off-duty” status will be informed by SHWC that they are cleared to “return to class.”

Last updated: July 23, 2020 9:10pm