COVID-19 Update: March 10, 2020

Dear UC Community,

To date, the University of Cincinnati does not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease). However, the outbreak of coronavirus continues to rapidly change. In response, President Pinto has gathered members of the Public Health Response Team to review and discuss updated guidance following the confirmation of three COVID-19 cases within the State of Ohio. The team, along with our university health experts, reviewed the latest information from the U. S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), as well as our local and state health departments. After much consideration, and in response to the continued spread of COVID-19, we are enacting new policies and practices based on the concept of social distancing.

• Effective Saturday, March 14, 2020, UC will suspend face-to-face instruction, lectures, discussion sessions, seminars and other similar classroom settings, and move to remote instruction.  Face-to-face instruction will resume Monday, April 13, 2020. Instruction that involves labs, studios, music lessons, clinical experience, e.g., may meet at the discretion of the dean provided that social distancing is observed and respected
• While completing classes remotely, students may choose to return to their permanent place of residence or return to campus where appropriate social distancing and enhanced preventative public health and hygiene measures will be actively encouraged. Students should make the choice that is best for their own personal situation.
• Residence and dining halls will remain open
• Deans are working with their faculty to develop remote teaching approaches best suited for their college and its curricular programs. UC’s Center for the Enhancement of Teaching & Learning has developed a toolkit complete with resources and tools needed to conduct remote instruction. This information will be available at publichealth@uc.edu and uc.edu/cetl beginning March 11, 2020.

The university’s Alternative Work Schedule policy permits UC employees to telecommute with approval from their supervisor. Although this policy is not new, supervisors are urged to consider CDC guidance regarding people at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19. Additional guidance may be provided from Central Human Resources.

• All university-related international travel is suspended through May 31, 2020. This applies to all faculty, staff, postdocs and students, and includes any travel associated with scholarly activities as a UC employee, including travel funded by a government grant, foundation, company or other university.
• All personal international travel is strongly discouraged by any UC community me
• Travelers returning from CDC Level 3 countries (currently China, Iran, Italy and South Korea) are required to observe a 14-day period of self-quarantine and monitoring.  During this period, faculty, staff, and students are not permitted to come to work, attend class or participate in any other campus or community activities.
• All UC employees and students returning from international travel must register with University Health Services (UHS) via UHSTravel@ucmail.uc.edu, and receive specific guidance from UHS before returning to campus.

• University-sponsored domestic air travel will be limited to business essential travel and will be approved on an as-needed basis. A process for requesting an approval of domestic travel will be shared shortly. This includes new travel as well as any currently booked trips between now and May 31, 2020.  We will reevaluate these guidelines and share updates as more information becomes available.
• We strongly urge extreme caution and judgment for your personal domestic travel, with particular attention to known outbreak areas.
• Until May 31, 2020, we strongly encourage everyone in the UC community to register with UC Travel prior to their trip.

• All visitors returning from CDC Level 3 countries (widespread sustained ongoing transmission of COVID-19) must complete a 14-day self-quarantine prior to entering any university facility or attending any event or meeting on campus. Additionally, all persons traveling from any foreign country should register with University Health Services via UHSTravel@ucmail.uc.edu prior to entering any university facility or attending any event or meeting on campus.

• Effective immediately, any in-person UC events (on-campus or off-campus) with more than 150* attendees scheduled to occur between now and May 31, 2020, must be rescheduled, canceled or “virtualized.”
• Certain events, such as athletic contests and performances, may be modified to decrease the need for a crowd or audience. Details on these modifications are under development and will be shared once finalized.

• The Public Health Response Team has not yet made a decision regarding commencement ceremonies.

* A threshold of 150 people was chosen to help reduce risk of transmission without calling a halt to all activity on campus. However, group size is only one factor to consider in planning an event – our success in managing the risk of COVID-19 depends not only on the existence of these policies, but on your cooperation and common sense.  If a member of the UC community thinks an exception is warranted for a large event, the request must be submitted through a dean or vice president at publichealth@uc.edu. 

As always, please practice social distancing to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Keep a distance of at least six feet between yourself and another person; practice proper hand washing; avoid touching your face; cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue; and stay home if feeling sick. Please reference the CDC website for additional prevention guidelines.   

Information updates and resources can be accessed at uc.edu/publichealth.  Please continue to check daily for email updates regarding this very fluid situation.  If you have a question please email publichealth@uc.edu.

Many thoughtful decisions will be forthcoming in the days ahead, and we ask for patience and understanding as we navigate through this difficult and fluid situation. Your health and safety is, and will always be, of the utmost importance to us.

Kind Regards,

Kristi Nelson, PhD
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

Andrew Filak, MD
Senior Vice President for Health Affairs, Dean of the College of Medicine