Coronavirus Information

Information for Staff

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:

Testing

  • Johns Hopkins has closed its asymptomatic testing sites and transitioned to symptomatic testing for students. Employees should contact their medical provider for symptomatic testing. Home test kits and masks are readily available. More information

Masking

  • Masking is no longer required in any campus spaces, including for individuals with exceptions to the vaccine mandate. Masking is highly effective at preventing the spread of COVID, and we may reinstate the mandate for certain groups or in certain circumstances if necessary.
  • Individuals may choose to continue masking themselves based on their individual circumstances, and we will continue to provide free, high-quality masks for all affiliates.

Vaccination

  • A full course of COVID baseline vaccinations and at least one booster shot is required of all JHU employees and students. Documentation must be provided through our Vaccine Management System. Our policy for granting medical and religious exceptions remains unchanged.
  • Novavax has been added as an option for baseline vaccination, but we still require an mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) booster shot as soon as individuals are eligible, regardless of their initial vaccine. 
  • Individuals arriving from overseas who received a vaccine authorized by the World Health Organization but not the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are immediately eligible for a booster (you may wait 28 days following your last dose).

Isolation and Leave

  • If you have any COVID or flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle or body aches, coughing, congestion or a runny nose, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, or fatigue, do not come to campus for class or work. Johns Hopkins faculty and staff who feel ill or are concerned about exposure to the coronavirus should continue to utilize the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Call Center at 443-287-8500, seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
  • Anyone testing positive should isolate for at least five days and until they are free of symptoms. Employees are still eligible for 10 days of COVID leave in addition to other forms of leave, which can be used for one or more infections over the course of the pandemic (up to 10 days total across all infections, not per infection).

Events, Gatherings, and Dining

  • No restrictions are in place with regard to events and gatherings or serving food and beverages.

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:

  • School of Medicine faculty, staff, students, and postdoctoral fellows will continue to follow Johns Hopkins Medicine policies.
  • The Applied Physics Laboratory has its own policies for individuals on its property, but for APL staff members who work, teach, or attend classes at other JHU or JHM campuses, the mandates for each campus apply and can supersede APL guidelines.
Array of COVID-19 test kits on a table
How to get free at-home test kits

The university will cover the cost of over-the-counter COVID-19 at-home test kits for employees and their families enrolled in a JHU health plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do faculty, staff, and students need to know before coming to campus or to a JHU work location?

Masking

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:

  • N95 masks
  • KN95 masks
  • KF94 masks
  • A combination of a cloth mask with a surgical mask

Vaccination and Booster Requirements

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

Other requirements

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

Can events be held?

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

Do decisions about activities and health and safety protocols apply to buildings not located on the university’s main campuses?

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

Which rules apply to School of Medicine staff?

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: Aug 9, 2021 4:38pm

Vaccinations

Will Johns Hopkins provide vaccinations for JHU affiliates?

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

Is there anything I need to do before I can schedule a vaccination at a Johns Hopkins physician office or JHM clinic?

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

Vaccination mandate

Why is Johns Hopkins University requiring the COVID vaccine?

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

Who is included in the vaccination mandate?

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:

  • Members of collective bargaining units.
  • Contractors who provide services to the university community and whose primary work location is on university properties located in Maryland or Washington, D.C., regardless of employer, except contractors or vendors whose presence at any JHU property is solely limited to the delivery of goods.
  • Those who are doing business on behalf of the university, including individuals engaged in work-related travel.

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

Can I take time off to get vaccinated?

Yes. Faculty and staff can take up to two days off to be vaccinated and/or to recover from any side effects of the vaccine. See JHU HR Information Regarding Novel Coronavirus for details.

Last updated: June 30, 2021 12:41pm

Can I take time off to get vaccinated?

Yes. Faculty and staff can take up to two days off to be vaccinated and/or to recover from any side effects of the vaccine. See JHU HR Information Regarding Novel Coronavirus for details.

Last updated: June 30, 2021 12:41pm

Can I take time off to be tested?

Yes. You are permitted 30 minutes of time off for testing. (This does not need to be accounted for specifically in your E210 time sheet.)

Last updated: Aug 4, 2022 10:56am

How do the vaccination policies apply to faculty, students, or staff who may be returning to Johns Hopkins’ U.S.-based worksites from abroad?

If the affiliate was able to be vaccinated abroad with a non-FDA vaccine, those doses will be accepted by JHU. Email a copy of the vaccination documentation to VMS@jhu.edu and it will be uploaded to VMS for you. These affiliates should then get an mRNA booster (either Pfizer or Moderna) to be in compliance with JHU requirements. If the affiliate was not vaccinated abroad, they should start their COVID vaccine in the U.S.

Last updated: March 9, 2022 5:01pm

Does the mandate apply to university contractors?

The mandate includes non-employees who provide services to the university community and whose primary work location is on university properties located in Maryland or Washington, D.C., regardless of employer, with the exception of contractors or vendors whose presence at any JHU property is solely limited to the delivery of goods.

Last updated: June 9, 2021 12:53pm

Can I ask my colleagues/can they ask me about my vaccination status?

Managers and business partners have a business need-to-know in many situations, and are allowed to ask about vaccine status. However, it is not the same for colleagues/peers. Asking why an individual did not receive a vaccination may elicit private information about a disability and forcing a co-worker to disclose a disability could be noncompliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In other words, asking about status is only allowed if it is “job-related and consistent with business necessity,” which means that JHU and managers can ask their direct reports, as can HR business partners. However, peers/colleagues do not have a business necessity to know this. Therefore, while you may be allowed to ask your coworker, they have the right to refuse to tell you (and vice versa).

Last updated: Aug 4, 2022 10:57am

Who will know my status if I upload my vaccine information to the Vaccine Management System?

Your manager and divisional HR business partner will have access to see your status but will not know why you were granted an exception, if you have one. Managers and HR have permission to access this information for business-related reasons (such as when it is a requirement for working in person), to ensure that everyone is being compliant with the vaccination mandate or the masking and COVID testing requirements associated with an approved exception to the mandate. 

Last updated: July 1, 2021 3:32pm

What are the COVID vaccination requirements for new JHU employees?

All JHU employees (faculty, staff, bargaining unit members, contractors, and postdoctoral fellows), including School of Medicine employees, are required to be vaccinated unless they have obtained an approved exception. JHU accepts both FDA-approved vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, J&J/Janssen) 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 employees must receive an mRNA COVID booster (either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) as soon as they are eligible. All vaccination documentation must be uploaded to the Vaccine Management System (VMS).

New employees may submit a request for a religious or medical exception to the vaccine requirement through the Vaccine Management System (VMS). The request must be submitted and approved within two weeks of the first day of employment.

If the new employee does not show progress toward compliance with the vaccination requirement, they will be out of compliance and should not be on-campus until they complete the required steps.

Last updated: March 9, 2022 5:02pm

Vaccination exceptions

Are there exceptions to the vaccination mandate?

Yes. Medical and religious exceptions will be made using the standard vaccine exemption process in the Vaccine Management System.

Last updated: Jan 12, 2022 2:53pm

How to submit proof of vaccination or request an exception

How do I report my vaccination status?

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

How will the university verify COVID vaccine records from other countries in other languages?

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

How can JHU ask about my vaccine status? Isn’t this a HIPAA violation?

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

What file types are acceptable for uploading proof of vaccination?

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

What do I do if I lost my vaccination card?

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