SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 Community Testing Site Information

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

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.

SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 Testing for UIC Students, Staff and Faculty

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/

Clarifications and Information Regarding COVID-19 on Campus 

The building remains closed to the public and visitors.

Students, staff and faculty coming to the UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford should enter through the main entrance with your badge. Do not allow others to enter the building behind you or after entering.

Students, staff and faculty must provide your ID to the receptionist and answer the screening questions. Use the kiosk for a temperature check.

If you are coming to campus for a class, allow plenty of time for the check-in process and maintain social distancing and wear your mask while waiting.

Check out with the receptionist when you leave the building – that way there’s a record of exactly who is in the building at a given time.

Wear a mask in all campus buildings at all times and remain 6 feet from others — even if you have been vaccinated. Only when alone in a private office or study room should you remove your mask.

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

Study rooms and spaces require reservations and are available Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Study Room reservations must be in before 5 p.m. The listserv used for reserving study rooms/fitness center 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.

The Student Activity Center (Green House) will remain closed until further notice.

Follow the guidelines below for reporting cases if you or one of your students or staff members is symptomatic or reports a positive COVID test.

Note New Process to Request In-Person Events or Sessions

– updated 5/14/2021 to clarify this form is only needed for gatherings of 5 or more people

The Rockford Recovery Committee, which is comprised of representatives from the various colleges and programs on the UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford, has been meeting since early in the COVID-19 pandemic to create guidelines for keeping the campus community as safe as possible while following local, state and national COVID-19 guidelines.

As positivity rates decline and vaccination rates increase, the committee is exploring ways to safely allow in-person gatherings. Please use the Rockford Re-open Form  to request in-person events, classes or sessions on campus or university events to be held off campus that will include 5 or more people. This form may be used to request a specific event (e.g., a retreat) or one that will recur across the year (e.g., a monthly departmental meeting).

Please note that this is a request form. Completion of the form does not guarantee approval. The form will be reviewed by the Rockford Recovery Committee, who will make a recommendation to the Deans. The Deans will have final approval of in-person events. Approval from the Dean/campus committee does not guarantee space is available for your event. 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.

Rockford Recovery and the Dean reserve the right to cancel previously approved events as needed.

Safety Guidelines

updated 5/17/21 to include continued mask and social distancing

We want to remind all UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford students, staff and faculty that all COVID-19 safety polices, including masking and social distancing of 6 feet, remain in place.

Recent CDC guidance that for fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear a mask indoors or outdoors has caused some confusion, so we want to be clear:

  1. All students, staff and faculty will continue to wear masks on campus and in our clinics unless they are alone in an office.
  2. All patients still must wear masks when they arrive for their appointments

Remember to:

  • Make sure you have the right kind of mask (no gaiters or bandanas).
  • Wear masks with multiple layers.
  • Bring your mask with you.
  • Wear your mask at all times on campus and whenever you can’t maintain 6-ft. of social distancing. Only when alone in an office should you remove your mask.
  • Wear your mask correctly so it covers both nose and mouth.
  • Keep your mask clean.
  • Continue to maintain 6 feet of social distance. Some schools have decreased this to 3 feet, but we have not.

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.

Guidelines for COM Students with COVID-19 Symptoms or Exposures

The Rockford Recovery Committee has modified some of our COVID reporting procedures. If a student develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or has been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 please do as follows:

  1. The student should contact their Primary Care Physician, Student Health (815-395-5870), or call 911 as appropriate.
  2. The student should notify Dean Blevins ([email protected]) or Dean Richards ([email protected]).
  3. The student should expect to receive a follow-up call from the Winnebago County Health Department.

Please remember that you are not to come to campus if you have been instructed to quarantine or isolate as a result of COVID. You must be able to answer the two entry questions (Do you have symptoms of COVID? and Have you been in contact with anyone who has COVID or COVID symptoms?) to the negative, have your temperature taken, and wear a mask prior to entering the campus.

Resources for College of Medicine Rockford Staff and Faculty:

REPORTING OF STUDENT INFORMATION REGARDING COVID19 8 18 2020

Employee Travel Reporting

If you plan to travel to any of the high burden states contact Patricia Monaghan at [email protected] or call 815-395-5789 once you have confirmed your travel arrangements. She will need travel dates (departure and return) and COVID vaccine status to determine your quarantine requirements upon return. If you received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna or the single dose Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine(s) include date(s) and also send a copy of your proof of vaccination. 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. Quarantine requirements are based on a combination of Winnebago County and UHS guidance.

For the latest travel guidance from the Winnebago County Health Department see https://www.wchd.org/covid-19/travelguidance. (usually updated on Wednesdays)

Guidelines for COM Staff and Faculty To Report 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]du. 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, have any COVID-related symptoms, or have possible COVID exposure, 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.

Return to Campus Resources for Employees:

UIC TelecommutingRemote Work Agreement May 2021

In-Person Meetings and Event Guidelines

Effective June 1, 2021

Beginning June 1, 2021, the UIC Health Sciences Campus-Rockford will begin a phased-in approach to restore the campus to its pre-pandemic state of community and vibrancy. The campus community is where students, faculty and staff collaborate, learn and work together. This plan will allow in-person meetings/events for the first time since March of 2020.

Please review the following guidelines when planning meetings/events with departmental members, colleagues or students on campus.

The guidelines below must be followed to ensure the health and safety of all participants during in-person meetings or events.

  • The number of meeting/event participants is in line with the capacity limits for a given room.
  • All participants must remain socially distant from each other.
  • The meeting/event organizer takes attendance to allow for contact tracing if needed.
  • All participants in the meeting/event follow local masking guidelines in place at the time of the meeting/event.
  • All participants in the meeting/event follow food and drinking guidelines in place at the time of the meeting/event.
  • Department heads and supervisors may require staff, faculty and students to attend a meeting in person if it is necessary to the work of the meeting, but flexibility is encouraged through at least August 1 when all members of the community are expected to return to campus full-time.
  • For group meetings of more than 10 people, virtual attendance is encouraged. A Rockford Re-Open form is required for any meeting with more than 25 in-person attendees, if outside vendors/community members are present, or food is being served.
  • All members of the campus community are required to follow current testing guidelines. If planning a required in-person meeting, departments are encouraged to plan meetings for testing days as needed.
  • Candidate interviews are allowed following the guidelines above.
  • Until University guidelines change, all food and drink must be served outside with participants socially distanced. No food is allowed for gatherings of more than 100 people.

All-UIC College of Medicine COVID-19 info

UIC COVID-19 info