SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 Saliva Testing
The free SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 community testing site has moved to
Providence Baptist Church, 2209 Clifton Ave. effective Monday, Sept. 26.
For more information, visit shieldillinois.com/get-tested or call 217-265-6059.
Do not call UIC or the College of Medicine Rockford for information on appointments or test results. Call SHIELD’s 24-hour patient hotline any time at: 217-265-6059.
College of Medicine Rockford COVID-19 Information
Testing information for UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford students, staff and faculty
(updated January 11, 2023)
Vaccination
Vaccines
The University of Illinois System will no longer require the COVID-19 primary vaccine series for students and non-clinical employees.
Clinical employees – those at Mile Square Health Center-L.P. Johnson Rockford, Correctional Health Care Services and MERIT – will follow UI Health protocols.
Vaccines remain a highly effective tool for preventing serious illness and we do strongly recommend that you stay up-to-date with the most recent COVID-19 vaccine or booster available as a barrier to serious illness.
Find a COVID-19 Vaccine or Booster:
- Search vaccines.gov.
- Text your ZIP code to 438829.
- Call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you.
- Check your local pharmacy’s website to see if vaccination walk-ins or appointments are available.
- Contact your state or local health department for more information.
Masking
Masks continue to be required in classrooms, lecture halls, research labs, libraries and health care settings (including Student Health and Wellness). Masking is highly encouraged in other settings, including at events, but it is a choice based on personal risk.
Instructors/lecturers may take off their mask to lecture when greater than 6 feet from the audience/students.
Reporting
If you are ill, have symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive for COVID-19 stay home.
- Students must contact Student Health Services for guidance and clearance to return to school at 815-395-5870.
- Phase 1 Medical Students should also contact Dr. Clements-Jewery ([email protected])
- Phase 2/3 Medical Students should also contact Dean Richards ([email protected])
- Master of Science in Medical Biotechnology Students should contact Dr. Sidik ([email protected])
- Faculty and staff must call Employee Health Services for guidance and clearance to return to work at 815-395-5789.
- Faculty and staff should also let their supervisor know if they are not reporting to work.
* * If you are waiting for a return call from either department and you have not already completed saliva testing, please report for testing.
If you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms, please contact 911 for guidance.
Testing
The University of Illinois System will no longer require regular testing of those who are unvaccinated.
Testing may still be required per UI Health protocol for symptoms, unit-based clusters, and high-risk exposures.
Testing continues to be a valuable tool for COVID-19 containment and we encourage you to take advantage of the free testing that will continue to be available.
COVID-19 saliva testing for students, staff and faculty continues to be available on campus and at the UI Health Mile Square Health Center-L.P. Johnson Rockford and the Winnebago County Justice Center. For additional information about mandatory testing groups, preparing for the test and obtaining test results, visit the COVID-19 saliva testing webpage.
Traveling
Travel is not restricted due to COVID-19. Travelers are advised to review UIC travel guidelines. According to standard university practice, the university requires faculty, staff and students traveling for essential university business to obtain prior approval from their unit head. As of Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, the University COVID-19 Pre-travel Unit/Department Head Approval Form is no longer required for travel, T-Card reconciling or reimbursement.
Entering and Exiting the Building
Do not enter or exit through:
- Student Health and Wellness North Building red awning entrance (unless you are a patient or work there).
- Any entrance but the Main Entrance after 5 p.m. or on weekends.
OK to enter or exit through:
- Main Entrance without checking in/out at the reception desk before 5 p.m. on weekdays. After 5 p.m., enter through the Main Entrance only and sign in with the security guard at the desk. If you signed in when you entered the building after 5, you must sign out with the security guard at the Main Entrance. This is for security purposes so the guard knows who is in the building in case of an emergency.
- Other entrances via key card before 5 p.m.
Eating and Drinking
Eating and drinking are not allowed:
- Health care settings
- Research laboratories
- Classrooms
- Lecture halls
- Where signage indicates
Eating and drinking are allowed:
- Campus areas other than those listed above
- Eating and drinking is now permitted at university-sponsored events – on or off campus – outside of health care, research and instructional settings. Event organizers must provide spacing for any seated eating to allow for distance from those outside of a social circle or household when unmasked.
- When offering a buffet, servers need to be provided who are masked and gloved available to serve the food.
- Boxed lunches are no longer required. However, everyone needs to stay seated while eating.
Visitors on Campus
The campus is not open to the public. Visitors are welcome to come to campus for approved or registered campus events or if invited to campus by a department to engage in any of the activities below. The list of approved visitor activities is intended to provide examples of suitable visitor activities; it is not meant to be exhaustive.
- Business and education operations (including interviews, scheduled meetings, guest lectures, etc.)
- Research collaboration
- externally contracted work
- student support
- admission events
- student internship programs
- approved or registered athletic events, social events, academic events
- construction and maintenance tasks
- other business and education operations
Visitors should not enter if they are sick.
Events on Campus
Campus colleges, departments, offices or student organizations that would like to plan or resume any in-person activity, must submit a Rockford Re-Open form if the meeting or event will have:
- more than 25 in-person attendees from the campus community, or
- outside visitors, or
- if food is being consumed or distributed.
Please continue to submit requests for rooms through the room reservation system. When planning your events, be certain to contact building services to ensure the room is set up safely and cleaned as appropriate.
The Rockford Recovery Committee and the Dean reserve the right to cancel previously approved events as needed.
Event sponsors should track all attendees to the greatest extent possible. For contact tracing purposes, event attendees must include name, email, and phone numbers.
Resources:
All-UIC College of Medicine COVID-19 info
Check your UIC email regularly for program-specific information.
