Quarantine and isolation procedures
Learn more about the specific protocols and procedures in place for undergraduate and graduate students who test positive for COVID-19 or who have close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19.
The fall 2022 semester has seen a return to the most normal university operations we have experienced since the beginning of the pandemic.
Based on the low prevalence of COVID in our community and our experience in managing the pandemic—and also your diligence in following best practices to prevent the virus’s spread—we believe we can safely continue to loosen our public health restrictions.
Among the policies:
As has been the case since the beginning of the pandemic, these policies reflect close consultation with Johns Hopkins experts in public health and infectious disease, as well as compliance with state and local regulations. We will continue to closely monitor public health conditions, and if we need to reinstate control measures to protect the health and safety of our community and our neighbors, we will do so. However, based on the near-universal vaccination of our community as well as the proven effectiveness of measures such as the use of high-quality masks, we have every expectation that we will be able to complete the fall semester in person as planned.
Additionally:
Masking is optional in classrooms, lab- and studio-based classes, university administrative spaces, research labs, public spaces, athletic facilities, and non-classroom communal spaces such as residence halls and libraries.
If you choose to wear a mask, the most effective types of face coverings are:
All eligible individuals affiliates must be vaccinated and boosted. Proof of vaccination/booster must be uploaded to the Johns Hopkins Vaccine Management System. Full vaccination including a booster is highly protective against severe illness and hospitalization. More information on the booster requirement
Note: The School of Medicine follows Johns Hopkins Medicine’s rules and policies. Masking rule information and general information on JHM’s vaccination policy are available online.
Last updated: March 23, 2023 1:10pm
Yes. Capacity limits on indoor events have been lifted and permission are no longer required. Food service is now allowed at indoor events. Physical distancing should still be maintained where feasible.
Last updated: April 18, 2022 9:59am
All reopening plans and health and safety guidelines established by the university apply to people taking part in activities in all of its owned or leased locations.
Last updated: Dec 16, 2020 3:36pm
The university is guided by the types of activity allowed by both the state and the city along with its own evaluation of public health and medical advice from Johns Hopkins experts.
Last updated: June 22, 2021 12:47pm
All Johns Hopkins affiliates in Maryland and Washington, D.C., can schedule a vaccination appointment through Johns Hopkins Medicine in MyChart. Johns Hopkins University is also hosting a series of clinics where faculty, staff, students, and contractors can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinations are free and staff can use COVID-19 vaccine leave for time off while they receive or recover from the vaccination. Visit the COVID Vaccine Information site for updates.
Last updated: June 22, 2021 11:30am
If you don’t already have a MyChart account, you may receive an email asking you to activate your account. MyChart is a secure website and mobile app used by Johns Hopkins Medicine that can be used to schedule COVID-19 tests and vaccinations, if you need them in the future. If you have any questions about MyChart, please send an email to Testinginfo@jhu.edu.
Last updated: June 29, 2021 3:07pm
Multiple vaccines have been demonstrated to provide high levels of protection against the COVID virus with reports of only minimal and brief side effects following administration. Ensuring that the overwhelming percentage of our community’s population is vaccinated will greatly reduce the risk of the virus’s spread on our campuses and will also protect our neighbors in Baltimore.
Johns Hopkins affiliates who are required to be vaccinated—and who were not vaccinated at a Johns Hopkins Medicine facility—can upload a photo of their COVID-19 vaccination record to the JHU Vaccine Management System. Affiliates may also submit an exception request in the VMS.
More information about submitting proof of vaccination to the VMS is available on the COVID Info website.
We encourage anyone interested in learning more about the science of the vaccine to visit Johns Hopkins Medicine’s COVID-19 Vaccine Safety website.
Last updated: July 12, 2021 2:52pm
COVID-19 vaccination and booster are required for all JHU faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and undergraduate and graduate students who work or study at a U.S.-based university campus or worksite. That includes:
Medical and religious exceptions will be made where appropriate.
School of Medicine affiliates will be governed by Johns Hopkins Health System vaccination policies.
“Worksite” includes locations that are not within the Homewood, East Baltimore, or Washington, DC campuses, such as but not limited to Keswick, Mt. Washington, etc.
Visitors who fall under the JHU Visitor Policy (i.e., visiting faculty, students, and scholars) are subject to the vaccination mandate.
Last updated: April 18, 2022 10:05am
JHU accepts both FDA-approved vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, J&J/Janssen, Novavax) and vaccines administered outside the U.S.; Johns Hopkins Medicine (including the JHU School of Medicine) only accepts FDA-authorized COVID vaccines. In addition, all JHU affiliates must receive an mRNA Covid booster (either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) as soon as they are eligible (the booster is not required for School of Medicine affiliates). All vaccination documentation must be uploaded to the Vaccine Management System (VMS).
Only mRNA boosters (Pfizer/Moderna) will be accepted. If you already received a J&J booster, you may wait six months to get the mRNA booster. If you were vaccinated with a non-FDA-approved vaccine (e.g., Sinopharm, Sinovac, etc.), you are immediately eligible for a booster (you may wait 28 days following your last dose). Only one booster dose (either Pfizer or Moderna) is required for those individuals.
Last updated: Aug 1, 2022 2:45pm
Yes, individuals who work or study outside of the School of Medicine may receive one booster dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna).
If you work or study in the School of Medicine, you must follow Johns Hopkins Health System guidance and are required to be revaccinated with an FDA-approved vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J).
Last updated: Jan 12, 2022 3:50pm
All JHU affiliates must log in to the Vaccine Management System (VMS) to upload their flu, COVID, and COVID booster vaccination documentation.
Last updated: Jan 12, 2022 3:53pm
The university asks that vaccination documentation in other languages be translated (and certified) before they are uploaded to the forthcoming Vaccine Management System. All affiliates will electronically sign their submission to affirm that the information that they provided is accurate.
Last updated: June 22, 2021 12:15pm
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has confirmed that Federal EEO laws do not prevent an employer from requiring all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19, so long as employers provide reasonable accommodations and other EEO considerations. The EEOC does not consider questions about vaccination status to be medical inquiries. HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, provides protections for patients’ confidential health information, and it covers what your health care provider can share with others—not employers and what they can ask for.
Last updated: June 23, 2021 5:01pm
You can upload a JPEG, HEIC (iPhone), or PNG photo of your vaccination card or a PDF copy of a vaccination record.
Last updated: July 22, 2021 10:45am
If you were vaccinated in Maryland; West Virginia; or Washington, D.C., you can register and obtain your COVID-19 vaccination record from Maryland MyIR, a free website service that allows consumers to view and print copies of their official vaccination records directly from ImmuNet, Maryland’s immunization information system. Just register, download or print a copy of your certification of vaccination, and upload it into VMS.
If you were not vaccinated in Maryland, your doctor’s office or the location where you were vaccinated (e.g., CVS, Walgreens, etc.) should also have a record and you should reach out to them to get a copy. You may also be able to locate this on your patient portal or on the pharmacy website under prescription records or immunization record. You can find your state’s immunization records system at this link provided by the CDC.
Last updated: July 18, 2022 1:45pm