FAQ

Symptoms of the virus are similar to those of a respiratory illness: fever, cough, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell. General treatment for this virus is supportive care as needed.

Prevention of infection is key. Public health officials and medical experts believe vaccination is an important step in helping to prevent or lessen the effects of this illness and its potentially devastating consequences. COVID-19 can be a mild illness in some or lead to severe disease or even death in previously healthy people. Additionally, long-term complications of COVID-19 remain unknown.

Student Health Centers can provide health care services for current students. Please call the health centers on your campus. Students may contact Rutgers Student Health to make an appointment:

• Rutgers–New Brunswick
  • Call 848-932-7402
  • Locations and hours can be found at health.rutgers.edu/locations.
  • Make an appointment online via our Patient Portal (requires NetID)
  • Local Hospitals
    • Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital: 732-828-3000
    • St. Peter’s University Hospital: 732-745-8600
• Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
  • Newark: 973-972-8219
  • New Brunswick: 732-235-5160
• Rutgers–Newark
  • Call 973-353-5232
  • Visit Blumenthal Hall, Room 104
  • Email stuhlth@newark.rutgers.edu
• Rutgers–Camden
  • Call 856-225-6005
  • Visit the Campus Center, second floor

Students who test positive for COVID-19 regardless of whether they have symptoms, should follow the advice provided from the CDC calculator, and follow up with their personal physician/urgent care. Students living on campus in university housing are urged to return home for isolation whenever possible.

Rutgers Student Health offices by location:

• Rutgers–New Brunswick
  • Call 848-932-7402
  • Locations and hours can be found at health.rutgers.edu/locations.
  • Make an appointment online via our Patient Portal (requires NetID)
  • Local Hospitals
    • Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital: 732-828-3000
    • St. Peter’s University Hospital: 732-745-8600
• Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
  • Newark: 973-972-8219
  • New Brunswick: 732-235-5160
• Rutgers–Newark
  • Call 973-353-5232
  • Visit Blumenthal Hall, Room 104
  • Email stuhlth@newark.rutgers.edu
• Rutgers–Camden
  • Call 856-225-6005
  • Visit the Campus Center, second floor

The university’s testing program ended on May 16, 2023. Test centers on campus are closed.

COVID-19 tests are readily available through pharmacies and other retail outlets.

 

The Centers for Disease Control offers an interactive Quarantine and Isolation Calculator that provides valuable information and guidance for individuals with COVID-19 and for those who have had close contact with an infected person. The CDC tool provides guidance on face coverings, testing, and isolation.

Contact your physician or urgent care. If you need further guidance, please contact your appropriate Student Health office.

Camden: 856-225-6005

Newark: 973-353-5232

New Brunswick: 848-932-7402

RBHS – Newark: 973-972-8219

RBHS – New Brunswick/Piscataway: 732-235-5160

 

The Centers for Disease Control offers an interactive Quarantine and Isolation Calculator that provides valuable information and guidance for individuals with COVID-19 and for those who have had close contact with an infected person. The CDC tool provides guidance on face coverings, testing, and isolation. All employees and students with COVID-19 or who have had close contact with a person with COVID-19 should follow the recommendations provided by the Quarantine and Isolation Calculator.

The CDC always recommends a yearly flu shot as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Flu vaccines will not prevent COVID-19, but they will reduce the burden of flu illnesses and hospitalizations on the health care system and conserve medical resources for the care of people with COVID-19.

Flu shots are available at local pharmacies and through your primary care provider. Please visit the State of New Jersey’s flu webpage to find more information.

Students
The Rutgers Student Immunizations and Health Requirements policy (10.3.13) requires students who work directly with patients, or who handle material that could spread infection, to have a flu vaccination.

Students with a valid RU ID can obtain flu shots at Student Health. Contact your student health office for details.

To make an appointment with Rutgers Student Health:

• Rutgers–New Brunswick
  • Call 848-932-7402
  • Locations and hours can be found at health.rutgers.edu/locations.
  • Make an appointment online via our Patient Portal (requires NetID)
• Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
  • Newark: 973-972-8219
  • New Brunswick: 732-235-5160
• Rutgers–Newark
  • Call 973-353-5232
  • Visit Blumenthal Hall, Room 104
  • Email: stuhlth@newark.rutgers.edu
• Rutgers–Camden
  • Call 856-225-6005
  • Visit the Campus Center, second floor

Employees

Faculty and staff of Rutgers–New Brunswick, Rutgers–Newark, and Rutgers–Camden should visit the Occupational Health Department site for information regarding this year’s university flu shot program. RBHS employees can find flu vaccine information here. Flu shots are available at local pharmacies and through your primary care provider. Please visit the State of New Jersey’s flu webpage to learn more.

Rutgers is open and operating.

Refer to your campus operating status page for updates.

• Rutgers University–New Brunswick
• Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
• Rutgers University–Newark
• Rutgers University–Camden

Rutgers Global provides Global Travel Resources with updates, advisories, and useful resources for international students and scholars.

Help with technology issues or questions is available from the Office of Information Technology Help Desk.

The Office of Information Technology has developed technology recommendations for Rutgers students. Find details at: https://it.rutgers.edu/computer-recommendations-for-rutgers-students/.

 

Face coverings will no longer be required in most indoor spaces, but individuals are welcome to wear them.

As of May 10, 2023, wearing a face covering is no longer broadly required of all faculty, staff, students, and visitors in all clinical settings.

 

The Centers for Disease Control offers an interactive Quarantine and Isolation Calculator that provides valuable information and guidance for individuals with COVID-19 and for those who have had close contact with an infected person. The CDC tool provides guidance on face coverings, testing, and isolation. All students with COVID-19 or who have had close contact with a person with COVID-19 should follow the recommendations provided by the Quarantine and Isolation Calculator.

 

There are student food pantries on campus available for assistance.

Student Food Pantries on Campus
Camden
Newark
New Brunswick

Faculty should not inform the entire class that a student tested positive for COVID-19 or was exposed.

The Centers for Disease Control offers an interactive Quarantine and Isolation Calculator that provides valuable information and guidance for individuals with COVID-19 and for those who have had close contact with an infected person. The CDC tool provides guidance on face coverings, testing, and isolation. All students with COVID-19 or who have had close contact with a person with COVID-19 should follow the recommendations provided by the Quarantine and Isolation Calculator.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 (via PCR or antigen test), regardless of whether they have symptoms, should follow the advice provided from the CDC calculator and follow up with their personal physician/urgent care.

The Centers for Disease Control offers an interactive Quarantine and Isolation Calculator that provides valuable information and guidance for individuals with COVID-19 and for those who have had close contact with an infected person. The CDC tool provides guidance on face coverings, testing, and isolation. All students with COVID-19 or who have had close contact with a person with COVID-19 should follow the recommendations provided by the Quarantine and Isolation Calculator.

Transition to remote learning would be a universitywide determination communicated broadly by university administration.

No

No

No

Students should be instructed to follow the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC offers an interactive Quarantine and Isolation Calculator that provides valuable information and guidance for individuals with COVID-19 and for those who have had close contact with an infected person. The CDC tool provides guidance on face coverings, testing, and isolation.

The Office of Information Technology offers a Return to Rutgers Tech Checklist as a webpage and downloadable PDF.

The university’s relaxation on the telecommuting policy was extended until August 31, 2022, the relaxation of Section II (A) of Policy 60.3.22 Alternative Work Arrangements and Telecommuting for Regularly Appointed Staff with regard to who is eligible to telecommute.

On June 23, 2022, President Holloway endorsed the short- and long-term recommendations of the Future of Work Task Force with an immediate focus on the implementation of a new flexible work arrangement pilot program and caregiver support options for Rutgers employees. Beginning on September 1, 2022, through August 31, 2023, Rutgers launched the FlexWork@RU Pilot Program to expand the current flexible work arrangement offerings available to employees and roll out a new caregiver support program.

You should contact OneSource and forward appropriate medical documentation confirming the diagnosis within five (5) business days of your initial absence. You should also let your supervisor know that you will be absent due to illness, but you are not required to disclose your medical diagnosis to your supervisor.

Diagnosed employees are advised to stay home and follow medical direction regarding treatment. Follow the recommendations of the CDC’s Quarantine and Isolation Calculator for COVID infection and exposure.

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 are no longer required to report a positive test to Rutgers Occupational Health.

 

You should stay home and seek guidance from their personal physician or urgent care. You should contact OneSource and forward appropriate medical documentation confirming the diagnosis within five (5) business days of your initial absence. You should also let your supervisor know that you will be absent due to illness, but you are not required to disclose your medical diagnosis to your supervisor.

Diagnosed employees are advised to follow the recommendations of the CDC’s Quarantine and Isolation Calculator for COVID infection and exposure.

You are no longer required to report positive cases to Rutgers Occupational Health.

If an employee is showing flu-like symptoms (e.g., fever above 100.4ºF, cough and/or sore throat, body aches, headache, chills) or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath) their supervisor should direct them to leave work. If the employee appears too ill to drive, the supervisor may offer to call a family member to pick them up. If the employee asks for an ambulance or appears very ill, the supervisor should call an ambulance.

Supervisors can request that the employee provide a doctor’s note clearing them to return to work.

 

If an employee refuses to go home, the supervisor may call Occupational Health (OH) and transfer the call to the employee for discussion with a physician or nurse. After a discussion with the employee, OH will advise both employee and the supervisor whether the employee will go home and the expected duration of absence. OH will also provide direction to the employee about when to return to work.

No. The supervisor should not inform other employees.