UIC faculty and staff vaccination guidelines for fall

July 21, 2021

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Earlier today, the University of Illinois System announced that all faculty and staff will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by the beginning of the fall semester if they are able to do so.

We fully support this requirement, which is consistent with recommendations provided by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and similar decisions made by other universities and health care systems in Chicago and across the country. Our goal is to provide the maximum protection for our community as we transition to normal operations in the fall.

This vaccination requirement also includes the employees of UI Health. However, some aspects of the implementation will be different in this case because of the unique conditions associated with clinical operations. Separate guidance will be provided later today from the leadership of UI Health.

VACCINATION DISCLOSURE

As we communicated on July 12, all faculty and staff should disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status through UIC Healthcheck by August 1 and use the same web link for future updates if your status changes.
Upon disclosing that you are fully vaccinated (at least 14 days since your final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine), you will not be required to participate in on-campus saliva testing, to submit the daily UIC Healthcheck COVID-19 Self Monitoring Survey, to quarantine if you are a close contact of someone with a positive COVID-19 test or if you have returned from international or domestic travel, unless otherwise required by applicable public health regulations. Your UIC Daily Pass will remain green.
Following your vaccination disclosure, you will receive an email with instructions on how to submit proof of vaccination.
If you are partially vaccinated at the beginning of the fall semester, you may participate in on-campus activities if you have a scheduled final vaccine dose and vaccination completion is imminent; however, you must continue to participate in on-campus COVID-19 saliva testing at least weekly, complete the daily UIC Healthcheck COVID-19 Self Monitoring Survey, and wear a face mask indoors. Employees may update their vaccination status through UIC after their final vaccine dose.

VACCINATION EXEMPTION

In the interest of the health and safety of our entire UIC community, COVID-19 vaccination exemptions are limited to specific medical conditions with physician documentation and religious exemptions. You may request an exemption online.
Faculty and staff who obtain a COVID-19 vaccination exemption will be required to participate in on-campus COVID-19 saliva testing at least once weekly, daily symptom monitoring via UIC Healthcheck, and quarantine if exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or return from international or domestic travel, and wear a face mask when indoors on UIC property.

MASKING AND DISTANCING

Out of an abundance of caution, indoor masking is still required, except when alone in a private office or personal residence hall room, or when an individual has a medical condition, disability or other reason that prevents them from safely wearing a face mask. We will continue to assess this requirement as we near the fall semester.
Masking is optional outdoors on campus for fully vaccinated individuals.
Individuals who are not fully vaccinated may unmask outdoors on university property only if traveling alone more than 6 feet from others.
As we approach the fall semester and achieve a fully vaccinated environment, we anticipate no longer requiring social distancing indoors in classrooms and other campus facilities effective Aug. 16.

WHERE TO OBTAIN A VACCINATION

The pandemic is not over and from mid-January to early June, more than 97% of illness, hospitalizations and deaths in Chicago have been among the unvaccinated. If you have not been vaccinated, you can take advantage of free, convenient vaccination appointments that are available on campus. For more information about COVID-19 vaccination at UIC/UI Health or to make an appointment, visit vaccine.uihealth.care. If you have any questions about making a vaccine appointment, please covidvaccine@uic.edu.
You can find COVID-19 vaccination appointments or walk-in hours at a location near you by visiting vaccines.gov.

If you have additional questions, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions webpage. We will continue to update our guidance based on recommendations from our public health partners.

We want to thank everyone for contributing to our health and safety efforts over the last 16 months. With your current and future compliance, we are confident that we will have a safe in-person fall semester.

Sincerely,

Michael D. Amiridis
Chancellor

Robert Barish, MD, MBA
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs

Susan Bleasdale, MD
Acting Chief Quality Officer and Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control