COVID-19 Saliva Testing

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.

For information on SHIELD Illinois Public COVID-19 Saliva Testing for the Community, visit: https://rockford.medicine.uic.edu/shield-illinois-covid-19-testing-info-for-the-public/

Students, staff and faculty can get information about COVID-19 saliva testing at https://rockford.medicine.uic.edu/shield-illinois-covid-19-testing-info-for-students-staff-and-faculty/. Any student, staff or faculty member on campus who is not fully vaccinated (must have an approved COVID-19 vaccination exemption) must be tested on two non-consecutive days per seven-day period.

Vaccination

All students must be vaccinated or have an approved exemption.

All staff and faculty should have reported their vaccination status through UIC Healthcheck and Patricia Monaghan ([email protected]) in Employee Health Services as of August 23, 2021. All staff and faculty must be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021, or have an approved exemption. A copy of your vaccination card or letter of exemption from UIC must be sent to Patricia Monaghan.

Any student, staff or faculty member on campus who is not fully vaccinated must have an approved COVID-19 vaccination exemption and must be tested for COVID-19 through the on-campus SHIELD Illinois test site on two non-consecutive days per seven-day period.

Please note that if you have symptoms of COVID-19 you should isolate from others and be tested regardless of vaccination status. The vaccine is highly effective but not 100% and rapid identification of infection helps prevent transmission to others. 

Building Check-In Process

The campus remains closed to the public.

All students, staff, faculty and invited visitors will continue to enter the campus through the main entrance to the UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford.

If you are vaccinated and have signed up for UIC Healthcheck:

  • Show the reception staff your UIC I-card ID
  • Show your “Green Exempt Pass” from UIC Healthcheck Daily Pass on your phone or printed out
  • The receptionist will have your green/exempt status confirmation connected to your I-card after the first time you check in
  • Check in using just your I-card moving forward (no need to keep showing your Daily Pass on phone).

Faculty, staff or students who are not vaccinated may still enter the building through the main entrance with their I-Card and a “Green Pass” status by remaining compliant with twice weekly COVID-19 saliva testing.

  • Log in to the SHIELD Illinois portal at shieldillinois.com.
  • Locate the “Show Badge Clearance Status” button on the Shield Illinois COVID Testing Portal.
  • Show your SHIELD Illinois Green Cleared Status Badge to the reception staff as you enter the building along with your I-card.
  • Continue to show your both your I-Card and recent Green Cleared Badge every day you enter campus.

Updated 8/23/2021: You do not need to check out with the receptionist when you leave the building and can leave from any exit.

Masking

Masks are required in all campus buildings  – even if you have been vaccinated. Only when all alone in a private office or study room should you remove your mask.

Masks (not gaiters or bandanas) should have multiple layers and be worn so they cover both nose and mouth.

Because you can’t eat with a mask on, you must maintain 6 feet of social distancing when consuming food inside the building.

Vaccinated individuals may be unmasked on campus outdoors. Unvaccinated individuals must remain six feet from others to be unmasked outdoors.

Masks are strongly encouraged in crowded outdoor settings like festivals and concerts as well as for activities that require close contact with people who are not vaccinated.

  • Eating on Campus

Physically distanced, outdoor eating is preferred to indoor eating environments.

Individuals consuming food in the same room is discouraged. If a situation requires food to be brought on campus, it must be individually packaged and can only be eaten on campus if the individuals are able to maintain social distancing or eat alone in a room.

Social Distancing

Maintaining 6 feet of social distance is encouraged, though not required, for vaccinated individuals outdoors.

Unvaccinated individuals must remain 6 feet from others if unmasked outdoors on campus.

Social distancing is encouraged, though not required, for vaccinated individuals inside the building, provided the situation does not involve food or drink.Indoors, individuals who are unmasked for eating should remain 6 feet apart.

Visitors on Campus

  • 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

All campus visitors should follow the current UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford health practice guidelines (check-in at reception, masking, social distancing, etc.). Visitors should review their own symptoms immediately before coming to campus for an in-person activity. Sponsors of visitors should email the visitor the health screening questions below before their visit. Visitors must be advised, if they answer yes to any of the health screening questions, they must not come to campus. Upon their arrival they will be asked to review the screening questions again.  If they answer yes, the sponsor will be notified and asked to come to the reception area to address the concerns.

The Health Screening questions are as follows:

  • Have you felt feverish?
  • Do you have a cough or sore throat?
  • Have you been experiencing difficulty breathing or shortness of breath?
  • Do you have muscle or body aches?
  • Have you had a new or unusual headache? (e.g., not related to caffeine, diet, or hunger, not related to a history of migraines, clusters, or tension, not typical to the individual)?
  • Have you noticed a new loss of taste or loss of smell?
  • Have you been experiencing chills or rigors (a sudden feeling of cold with shivering accompanied by a rise in temperature?
  • Do you have any gastrointestinal concerns (e.g., abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea)?
  • Is anyone in your household displaying any symptoms of COVID-19?

Health Screening Questions.pdf

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
  • 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 Guidelines:

For indoor events:

  • Individuals are expected to maintain social distancing (6 feet of distance) at all times at indoor events when eating or drinking. If boxed lunches are being distributed for indoor consumption, individuals must remain socially distant at 6 feet of distance.
  • All refreshments must be individually packaged or plated.
  • Sharing a table is discouraged for unvaccinated individuals, unless the table settings are physically distanced or unless individuals are from the same household.

For outdoor events:

  • Social distancing is strongly encouraged at outdoor, open-air events.
  • All refreshments must be individually packaged or plated.

Non-university/external attendees: Must answer health-screening questions. Additionally, in accordance with the Chicago Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Public Gatherings Guidance (from July 14, 2021) it is recommended that event organizers require attendees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a negative COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours prior to attending. To create a safer event, CDPH recommends checking documentation of vaccination or negative test status.”

An individual from the department must be assigned to visually confirm proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test.  This should be done by asking to see an identification card and paper copy of either documentation.

  • Events sponsors should track all attendees to the greatest extent possible. For contact tracing purposes, event attendees must include name, email, and phone numbers.
  • Indoors:
  • Limited to UIC-approved room capacity.
  • If an event space does not already have hand sanitizer, the event organizer is responsible for providing this for attendees.

Reporting COVID-19 Cases and Concerns

COM Students: Sick Care Guidelines/Exposure to or Symptoms Consistent with COVID-19

If you are a student and you develop symptoms of illness that are consistent with COVID-19, or you have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, or you are unsure/unwell, please do as follows:

  1. Do not report to campus or a clinical rotation when you feel ill.
  2. Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms?
    Feverish, cough, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, muscle aches, new or unusual headache, unusual fatigue, loss of taste or smell, chills, gastrointestinal concerns (e.g., abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea). Have you or anyone in your household tested positive or been exposed to COVID19 or displaying symptoms of COVID19?
  3. The student should notify:
  1. The student should contact their Primary Care Provider/Noel Pycior, APN, in Student Health and Wellness (815-395-5870), or call 911 if this is an emergency. Student Health and Wellness appointments are available Monday through Friday. Most patients can schedule an appointment within 24 hours. Both in-office and video telehealth services are available. On the weekends, please seek care at your nearest ER or Urgent Care location that is in-network per your insurance. (CampusCare members must utilize MercyHealth Rockford).
  2. You must remain fever-free (without utilizing antipyretic medications) for 24 hours before returning to course work/rotations.
  3. Please send a note to Dr. Clements-Jewery or Dean Blevins or Dr. Sidik with your clearance to return to work/school if you are placed on quarantine.

Faculty/Staff Reporting of Student-Related COVID-19 Concerns

Faculty or staff who are contacted by a student who is experiencing symptoms, has concerns that they have been exposed to a patient who tested positive for COVID-19 or who has tested positive themselves for COVID-19, must notify Carol Schuster at (716) 534-1882 or via email at [email protected]. The notification should include the student’s name, a brief description of the situation and the student’s cell phone number. If the student has symptoms, also refer them to their primary care physician, if they have not yet been in contact with them.

Employee Guidelines If Symptomatic or You Test Positive for COVID-19

If you are running a temperature in excess of 100.4 degrees or have any COVID-related symptoms, do not report to work. Per university guidance, if you need to be tested, or have tested positive 1) isolate at home, 2) contact your UIC supervisor, 3) call Patricia Monaghan in Employee Health Services at (815) 395-5789 (instead of HR). You may not physically report back to work until cleared by Employee Health Services. This process is coordinated at the Rockford campus, and employees will not need to report to the Chicago campus.

If you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms, please contact 911 for guidance.

Travel

Students

Anyone who travels domestically or internationally regardless of vaccination status still needs to report all travel. On an individual basis, depending on your vaccine status, where you traveled, and a combination of factors, we will determine your plan for return from travel. 

 If you plan to travel domestically or internationally, contact Noel Pycior, MS, FNP-BC, in Student Health and Wellness at 815-395-5870 or by email at [email protected] once you have confirmed your travel arrangements. She will need travel dates (departure and return) in order to determine any quarantine, symptom monitoring, or testing requirements upon return. Quarantine requirements are based on a combination of Winnebago County and University Health Service guidance.

Staff and Faculty

All staff and faculty traveling to any orange state or traveling internationally should notify Patricia Monaghan at [email protected] or 815-395-5789.

Staff or faculty who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (i.e., two weeks have passed since final vaccine dose) and traveling domestically, are not required to quarantine as long as you remain asymptomatic. Patricia will notify you of any COVID-19 testing requirement. You should monitor symptoms and follow masking and social distancing guidance for 14 days after your return.

Staff and faculty traveling internationally (including Puerto Rico) should continue to notify Patricia of travel. Quarantine may be required at this time for fully vaccinated individuals visiting some countries, and there are testing requirements.

Adhere to masking rules: Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

It is recommended that you bring a copy of your COVID-19 vaccination records while traveling.

If you are not vaccinated, and you plan domestic or international travel, contact Patricia Monaghan at [email protected] or call 815-395-5789 for return-to-work guidance.

For the latest travel guidance from the Winnebago County Health Department see https://www.wchd.org/covid-19/travelguidance.

Resources for College of Medicine Rockford Students:

Student Health and Wellness

All-UIC College of Medicine COVID-19 info

UIC COVID-19 info

Check your UIC email regularly for program-specific information.

Updated 8/25/2021 Study rooms and spaces can be reserved, but unreserved rooms are now available on a first-come, first-served basis. The listserv used for reserving study rooms is monitored M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reserve study rooms by emailing the date and time wanted to [email protected] not more than one week in advance.  Follow capacity limits posted at each room. Do not move the furniture. If you are not going to use a study room that you have reserved, please notify the receptionist at [email protected] so the reservation can be cancelled and the room(s) made available to others.
 

Return to Campus Resources for Employees:

UIC TelecommutingRemote Work Agreement May 2021

All-UIC College of Medicine COVID-19 info

UIC COVID-19 info