COVID-19 Updates and Guidance > FAQs > Health, wellness and prevention

Health, wellness and prevention

1. Student Vaccine Info

In the spirit of caring for each other and for our surrounding community, DePaul requires all students, faculty and staff​ to be vaccinated for COVID-19 for the 2021-22 academic year.

This requirement includes all undergraduate, graduate and professional students in all degree programs. 

For more information, please visit the DePaul COVID-19 website.​  

Students can check your immunization status and/or complete their vaccine requirements through Campus Connect. 

Visit the Immunization Requirements website for more information and instructions on how to submit your documentation.

Students must comply with the COVID-19 vaccination requirement. 

Students who do not comply and do not have an exemption have been withdrawn ​from in-person fall term courses. Those students will only be permitted to register only for online courses.

​DePaul continues to monitor the available health information and protocols. Details concerning the availability of booster shots is not yet available. Individuals interested in booster shots should consult with their personal health care professional.


​No. Students who are only enrolled in online classes do not need to comply. As a result, they may not participate in any in-person classes or any on-campus co-curricular programs or experiences on either of DePaul’s campuses this fall quarter.

If they are interested in doing so, they are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19, or have received a medical or religious exemption from the requirement. They must also upload their immunization documentation through Campus Connect. 

The vaccination requirement is a major part of the university’s efforts to keep the DePaul campus community safe.​

​Exemptions are detailed on DePaul's Immunization webpage. 

Yes. Individuals do not need to be a U.S. citizen to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Chicago. According to the city of Chicago, “the COVID-19 vaccine is free to everyone, regardless of insurance or immigration status."  


Yes, DePaul University accepts all vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and will abide by the following guidance:  

​Vaccine
​Vaccine status 
​Action needed 
​​Vaccine authorized for emergency use by WHO ​
​Completed 

Do not need to take an additional dose of a U.S. FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine 
​​Vaccine authorized for emergency use by WHO 
​Partial 
​Take a U.S. FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine, taken 28 days after your most recent non-FDA approved dose 
​Vaccine NOT authorized for emergency use by WHO 
​Partial or completed 
​Take a U.S. FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine, taken 28 days after your most recent non-FDA approved dose 
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To learn more about finding and scheduling a vaccine appointment in your area, visit DePaul's COVID-19 Vaccine Resource web page.

​​No. Like any other medical treatment and condition, a student's vaccination status is personal health information, which is confidential under university policy and is a record protected by FERPA. The University Registrar maintains all immunization records according to these requirements. Moreover, some individuals may not be able to get the vaccine due to medical or other reasons and, in line with DePaul's mission, we must practice inclusiveness and care to all members or our community and respect the privacy and dignity of every person.

If you're an Illinois resident or were vaccinated in Illinois, including at DePaul, you can request immunization records by: 

2. Employee Vaccine Info

​In the spirit of Take Care, DePaul, the university requires all employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19 for the 21-22 academic year. 

For more information, please review DePaul's July 26 Update. 

  • Aug. 23: College of Law employees must receive at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Sept. 3: All employees, minus College of Law, are required to receive all recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Sept. 20: College of Law employees are required to receive all recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

For more information, please review DePaul's Aug. 23 Update.​ ​​

Faculty and staff who do not submit the proper vaccination documentation and do not receive approval for a religious or medical exemption may be subject to corrective action, up to and including termination, under the university’s policies and procedures and the Faculty Handbook, as applicable.

​

To make the process as simple as possible, employees will be required to attest to their COVID-19 vaccine status through a secure third-party platform.

Attestation instructions:

For more information, please review DePaul's Aug. 23 Update.​ ​


DePaul faculty and staff must log into their DePaul email (ending in @depaul.edu) to access the secure link to upload vaccination records.

Faculty or staff who forward university email to an outside email address should note that the secure link email may not appear. Go to outlook.depaul.edu to view your DePaul email or use the Outlook web, mobile or desktop apps. More information can be found on Knowledge Base.

Faculty and staff should note that email forwarding is not recommended, per university policy.

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  • Sept. 10: All employees, except the College of Law, are required to complete their vaccination attestation through the secure third-party platform.
  • Sept. 20: College of Law employees are required to complete their vaccination attestation through the secure third-party platform.

For more information, please review DePaul's Aug. 23 Update.​ 

​To request a medical or religious exemption, please email employeerelations@depaul.edu. For more information about these accommodations and how to request one, visit Human Resources.

​If you're an Illinois resident or were vaccinated in Illinois, including at DePaul, you can request immunization records by: 

​DePaul continues to monitor the available health information and protocols. Details concerning the availability of booster shots is not yet available. Individuals interested in booster shots should consult with their personal health care professional.


​To learn more about finding and scheduling a vaccine appointment in your area, visit DePaul's COVID-19 Vaccine Resource web page.

3. COVID-19 Testing

No. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises against re-testing for 90 days following a positive test.

The university requires reporting of positive cases of COVID-19. University contact tracing staff will advise on quarantine protocols and when it is safe to return to campus. Visit the COVID-19 Reporting Protocol webpage to learn more.


​If you were exposed to COVID-19 and have no symptoms: You can come to campus while the household member is waiting on test results. You also need to do the following:

  • If vaccinated, get tested 3 to 5 days following exposure. There is no need to quarantine or report unless you test positive.
  • If unvaccinated, quarantine immediately. Stay home (except to get tested) and do NOT attend in-person class. Follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and stay home for 10 days without testing or 7 days after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 after exposure or later). Report positive test results at this reporting website or call (773) 207-4340. A representative is available Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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​If you have possible COVID-19 symptoms: Regardless of vaccination status, get tested as soon as possible. Stay home (except to get tested) while you have symptoms and do NOT attend in-person class or come to campus for work. Report positive test results at this reporting website or call (773) 207-4340. A representative is available Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.



For the most up-to-date information on DePaul's COVID-19 testing options, please visit DePaul's COVID-19 Testing web page.

For Chicago residents, please visit the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) website for testing location information. Testing locations and hours of operation may change, particularly for mobile testing sites, so please check the CDPH website prior to visiting a location for the most up-to-date information.  

The DePaul community can also request DePaul's mail-in testing kit. It is free for faculty, staff and students who reside in the U.S.  This option is for those with symptoms or known exposure to an individual who has tested positive and are having difficulty finding an accessible testing site. This is a FDA-approved test that detects the virus's genetic material using a technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For more information on mail-in testing, please visit DePaul's COVID-19 Testing web page .

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Unvaccinated faculty, staff and students with medical/religious exemptions are required to be tested on a regular basis. These individuals will receive communication via email on the required frequency. Individuals that fail to comply with the testing requirement will be subject to appropriate disciplinary channels.

Individuals that are referred for testing will have the opportunity to use on-campus testing. Individuals with exemptions or who are referred for testing will not be charged for testing and do not need to provide proof of insurance.

If you need a negative COVID test for another reason, the university asks that you seek testing elsewhere. More information is available on the COVID-19 Testing webpage.

​

​DePaul students, faculty and staff living in the U.S. are eligible to request a mail-in kit. ​For more information, visit ​Newsline​. 

On-campus COVID-19 testing resources are detailed on the COVID-19 Testing webpage. Please note that testing is by appointment only. On-campus testing is intended for current faculty, staff and students who are experiencing symptoms or have known exposure to an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19; and unvaccinated faculty, staff and students with medical/religious exemptions who are required to be tested on a regular basis.  

All current faculty, staff and students will have access to testing. On-campus saliva-based ​testing will be available to those who are experiencing symptoms or have known exposure to an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19; and unvaccinated faculty, staff and students with medical/religious exemptions who are required to be tested on a regular basis. (These individuals will receive communication via email on the required frequency.)​ DePaul also offers a mail-in test kit for current faculty, staff and students who have symptoms or known exposure to an individual who has tested positive and who are having difficulty finding an accessible testing site.​ Visit DePaul’s COVID-19 Testing webpage for more information.



4. Contact Tracing

No. The identities of positive cases and the people who have been in close contact with them will never be shared publically with the DePaul community. All will remain anonymous. 

DePaul's priority is to maintain privacy and respect the dignity of all people during this challenging time.

If you have any questions or concerns please email  DePaulCommunityHealth@depaul.edu.

If you learn of a confirmed case of COVID-19, report about yourself or someone else here.

You can learn more at DePaul's COVID-19 Reporting Protocol webpage. 

Please note that the privacy and anonymity of employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 and those who may be part of a contact tracing investigation will be maintained. 

​Contact tracing is a process that local health departments use to control and prevent the spread of diseases, like COVID-19. By identifying and isolating cases, and quarantining close contacts, the spread of COV​ID-19 may be averted in the absence of effective vaccines.

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

A close contact is someone who has been in close physical contact with a case, or within six feet for 15 minutes over a 24 hour period, of an identified case while they were infectious.

For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline . 

If you test positive for COVID-19, you must report it to the university by using the secure third-party form​ or calling (773) 207-4340​. ​A contact tracer will call you to determine the period in which you may have been infectious. You will be asked to identify people wh​o were in physical close contact with you, within six feet for a period of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period, during the time you were potentially infectious.

If you have been identified by a case as a close contact, a contact tracer will let you know that you may have been exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19.

For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline. 

​If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and have symptoms, you can end home self-isolation when the following three things are met:
  • It’s been at least 24 hours with no fever without using fever-reducing medication
  • Your symptoms improved 
  • It’s been at least 10 days since the symptoms first appeared
If you test positive for COVID-19 but do not have any symptoms, you can end home isolation when the following two things are met​:
  • ​At least 10 days have passed since the date of your first positive COVID-19 test
  • You have had no subsequent illness
​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

5. Face Masks

In alignment with mask guidance issued July 30 by the Chicago Department of Public Health, everyone on campus—regardless of vaccination status—is required to wear a face mask indoors. Masks may be removed if individuals are alone in an office with the door closed. Face masks remain optional outdoors.

DePaul thanks our community for their cooperation thus far in wearing face masks to take care of one another.

For more information on how to properly wear a face mask, please review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updated guidelines. 

​

If an​yone needs a face mask, disposable paper masks will be available at a limited number of first-floor desk areas near building entrances.

Loop campus:
  • CDM Center, 243 S. Wabash Ave., Public Safety desk in the lobby
  • Daley Building, 14 E. Jackson Blvd., Public Safety desk in the lobby
  • Daley Building, State Street entrance, Public Safety desk in the lobby
  • Lewis Center, 25 E. Jackson Blvd., Public Safety desk in the lobby
  • DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Public Safety desk in the lobby
​Lincoln Park campus:
  • Holtschneider Performance Center, 2330 N. Halsted St., Public Safety desk in the lobby
  • Schmitt Academic Center, 2320 N. Kenmore Ave., Parking Services Office in Room 177
  • 2400 N. Sheffield Building in the lobby
  • Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave., lobby

All members of the DePaul community should take care of themselves and others by abiding by the university’s health and safety policies, including wearing a mask in classrooms and elsewhere indoors on campus. Students who do not abide by the requirement will be subject to the student conduct process and may be referred to the Dean of Students Office. Faculty and staff who do not wear a mask as required may be subject to corrective action, up to and including termination, under the university’s policies and procedures and the Faculty Handbook, as applicable.

Managers and academic leaders are encouraged to follow these steps in working with faculty or staff who do not comply with the mask requirement:

  • Ask the faculty or staff member to put their mask on in DePaul facilities.
  • Should the faculty​ or staff member not comply, have a brief, private conversation with them reiterating expectations.
  • Should the faculty or staff member continue to not comply with the reasonable directive, the leader or manager may ask them to leave the facility. The leader or manager should then consult with the Dean or Human Resources, as appropriate.
  • As a last resort, should the faculty or staff member refuse to leave the facility after repeated directives, the leader may request the help of Public Safety. Please understand that, depending on their activity at any given time, Public Safety may not be able to respond immediately.

More information on this topic is available in the Classes and Academics for Students FAQs and Faculty Classroom Concerns FAQs.



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Yes. Face coverings may be removed temporarily while actively eating or drinking.

Eating and drinking in class is discouraged unless absolutely necessary. Masks may be adjusted temporarily while actively eating and drinking.

Catering may be ordered for in-person events on-campus. Please maintain as much distance as possible while eating/drinking at these events. When possible, choose outdoor locations for events where food will be consumed.

6. University Safety Measures

The DePaul community is no longer required to show their completed #CampusClear survey prior to entering a DePaul facility.

However, to continue to Take Care DePaul, it is highly recommended that you complete the quick survey. That way you can take a moment to reflect on how you're feeling. If you're showing symptoms, stay home to avoid putting others at risk of getting sick.

​​​No. Like any other medical treatment and condition, a student's vaccination status is personal health information, which is confidential under university policy and is a record protected by FERPA. The University Registrar maintains all immunization records according to these requirements. Moreover, some individuals may not be able to get the vaccine due to medical or other reasons and, in line with DePaul's mission, we must practice inclusiveness and care to all members of our community and respect the privacy and dignity of every person.

Health Services are offered through AMITA Sage Medical Group at 1150 W. Fullerton Ave, in Lincoln Park.

The program offers basic medical care for minor illnesses and injuries for a quarterly fee. It is NOT a health insurance plan. If a student lives in a residence hall, except for University Center, they are automatically enrolled in DePaul Student Health Service.

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If you can’t find an answer that you’re looking for, submit a question to our COVID-19 response team.