Stay home if you feel sick

November 19, 2021

Dear Johns Hopkins Community,

We write to remind you of one of the most important public health precautions you can take as the COVID pandemic continues and flu season ramps up: Do not come to campus if you are sick.

We are already seeing flu cases in addition to COVID cases among members of our campus community. In a number of instances, people assumed they “just had a cold” and came to campus with symptoms. Please remember that neither the COVID vaccine nor the flu vaccine automatically prevent infection or transmission to others with whom you interact; the main point of vaccination is to significantly reduce the risk of severe illness. If you are vaccinated and contract COVID or the flu, your symptoms may be mild, but you are still infected and still able to transmit the disease to others who may not be so fortunate.

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 or work. Instead, call the Johns Hopkins COVID Call Center (JHCCC) at 443-287-8500, which will almost always result in you getting tested for COVID. In some cases, you will also be tested for the flu.

Additionally, please do not return to campus or work, or travel, until the JHCCC calls you with your test results and gives you further instructions.

As a reminder, students should use Prodensity’s Travel Registry feature to pause testing requirements when they are away from campus (or while traveling for holidays).

Sincerely,

Kevin Shollenberger

Vice Provost for Student Health and Well-Being
Interim Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Meredith Stewart
Interim Vice President for Human Resources

Stephen Gange
Professor and Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Jon Links
Professor, Vice Provost, and Chief Risk Officer