Fall 2021 Return to Campus
Updated September 15, 2021
What are the current rates of vaccination at Pitt Public Health?
Recent data shared with the school, based on the uploading of vaccination cards, indicates that 93 percent of our faculty and staff have been vaccinated, with a vaccination rate of 96 percent for our students.
Has the University started to institute mandatory COVID-19 testing?
The COVID-19 Medical Response Office (CMRO) has sent out an invitation for mandatory COVID-19 testing through Quest for unvaccinated students, faculty and staff. Any Pitt student, faculty or staff member who does not provide proof of their full vaccination status by uploading their vaccination card is required to take a weekly COVID test. If you haven’t already done so, we strongly encourage the entire Pitt Public Health community to become vaccinated, and to upload your cards.
What can we expect as we enter the Pitt Public Health building?
All University faculty, staff and students entering the Pitt Public Health building are required to wear face covering regardless of vaccination status. We have not experienced any issues related to mask compliance.
Everyone is required to tap their Pitt ID as they enter Pitt Public Health from the Fifth Avenue entrance, which is unlocked from 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. on weekdays only. The DeSoto entrance to the building is not currently accessible to control traffic into the building. A Building Safety Concierge station is located at the Fifth Avenue entrance. Masks are available to anyone who needs one.
As always, if you are ill with COVID-19-like symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea) stay home and not come in to the school.
What can be done to minimize my risk of infection posed by using public transportation to get to and from campus?
Health orders require that all Pittsburgh Port Authority employees and riders wear a protective face covering inside stations and on buses to help protect against the spread of COVID-19, but we understand that some riders may not comply. Other alternatives – such as carpool and vanpool options and Pittsburgh’s bike sharing system – can be found at the University of Pittsburgh Commuting Alternatives webpage. To provide more flexibility in parking, the University has partnered with ParkMobile to provide contactless payments for daily and hourly parking at designated locations by downloading the ParkMobile App. Daily parking for $5/$10 is available at select locations through ParkMobile based on availability. The University is also partnering with Healthy Ride, Pittsburgh’s bike share system, to provide students, faculty and staff at the Oakland campus with unlimited 30-minute rides during the 2021-22 academic year.
Should we stay home if we feel sick?
If you have symptoms similar to COVID-19, stay home. This applies to all faculty, students and staff. COVID-19 symptoms may include: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea. Symptom check-lists are available from the CDC and posted at the entrances to the Pitt Public Health building, near the elevators and around the building.
What if I test positive for COVID-19?
COVID-19 testing is recommended for all University members who become symptomatic after exposure to someone with COVID-19, including vaccinated individuals. If you are confirmed by a medical professional to have COVID-19, you must report your diagnosis, and provide names of close contacts so that contact tracing can be initiated to control the spread of COVID-19. A close contact is defined as an interaction with a person within six feet for more than 15 minutes, regardless of masking.
Fully vaccinated University members who are notified of close contact with an individual positive for COVID-19 are not required to quarantine, but should get tested 3-5 days after exposure and continue to wear masks in public.
Unvaccinated University members who are notified of close contact with an individual positive for COVID-19 or who have a COVID-19 positive individual in their household must quarantine away from others and should not circulate on campus or in public for 10 days.
Where are the designated dining areas at Pitt Public Health where we can remove our masks? Will physical distancing will be required in these areas?
You are allowed to remove your mask in the Commons area on the 1st floor of the Public Health Building while eating and drinking. We ask that you remain aware of the space between yourself and others, and continue to abide by physical distancing guidelines as much as possible. We have noted high compliance with these guidelines in the first week of the term. Currently, there is no eating or drinking allowed in any of our classrooms or other study rooms. If you are working or studying in a private office, you may remove your mask when you are alone.
What resources are there to keep up-to-date on the University’s COVID-19 policies and other support services?
Pitt's Health Rules | Power of Pitt | University of Pittsburgh
Office of International Students COVID-19 resources
University of Pittsburgh Counseling Center
Graduate Student Mental Health Resources
8/11/2021