UMass Boston

- All members of the campus community are strongly encouraged to wear a mask indoors while on campus.
- If you have an exemption to the vaccination requirement or are partially vaccinated, you are required to participate in weekly surveillance testing at UHS.
- We expect all students and employees to closely monitor their own health on a daily basis.  If you believe you may have COVID, stay home and get tested. 
- If you are identified as a close contact, you no longer need to quarantine according to university and CDC guidelines. However, you should mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5 after exposure.
- If you test positive via a non-university test, we expect students to notify UHS and we expect employees to notify UHS as well as their supervisor.
- If you test positive, we expect you to follow CDC guidelines and isolate for at least 5 days, ending isolation when you have been fever free for 24 hours and when symptoms have improved. Wear a high quality mask through day 10.
- In addition, we expect you to make every reasonable effort to identify and notify your close contacts that may have been exposed. A close contact is someone who was less than 6 feet away from you for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. follow UHS guidance related to identifying and notifying close contacts that may have been exposed.

- Individuals testing positive must isolate for a minimum of 5 days and up to 10 days if they remain symptomatic.
- After the 5th day, isolation may end if the individual has been fever free for at least 24 hours and if symptoms are improving.
- If the individual remains symptomatic, the isolation should last for the standard 10 days.
- Any individual testing positive whose isolation ends prior to 10 days must mask at all times while on campus. For more information, please read the CDC’s  isolation and quarantine guidelines.
- Individuals testing positive are asked to make every reasonable effort to identify and notify those who may have been exposed. The CDC guidelines state that you have been exposed if you were within 6 feet of a COVID positive individual for a period of 15 minutes over a 24 hour period.
- Anyone needing clarification or additional guidance should contact UHS (617.287.5660) or their care provider.

Individuals no longer are advised to quarantine after a potential exposure, regardless of vaccination status. Those who are exposed should wear a high quality mask for 10 days, closely monitor for symptoms, and should test on day 5. Consult a UHS clinician by calling 617.287.5660 if you have questions or need advice.

- You will not always be notified when a student in your class tests positive
- Students may inform you (or members of the class, or the entire class) that they have tested positive.  They may also notify you or members of the class about a potential exposure.
- Individuals testing positive are asked to make every reasonable effort to identify and notify those who may have been exposed. The CDC guidelines state that you have been exposed if you were within 6 feet of a COVID positive individual for a period of 15 minutes over a 24 hour period. 
- Those who were potentially exposed do not need to quarantine. They should wear a mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5 after exposure.
- Students and instructors should plan to continue to have in person classes. If an instructor needs to quarantine, they should work with their Department, Dean, and the Provost’s office to determine a plan or shift to remote modality for the period of the quarantine.

- Individuals testing positive are asked to make every reasonable effort to identify and notify those who may have been exposed. The CDC guidelines state that you have been exposed if you were within 6 feet of a COVID positive individual for a period of 15 minutes over a 24 hour period. 
- Those who were potentially exposed do not need to quarantine. They should wear a mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5 after exposure.
- Unless you develop symptoms, students and instructors should plan to continue going to class. If an instructor is unsure of how to proceed, they should work with their Department, Dean, and the Provost’s office to determine a plan.

The university strongly recommends that students receive booster shots, when eligible. However, as of summer 2022 the booster is not required to participate in on campus activities.

On May 5, 2023, the university announced that effective July 1, it is suspending its vaccine requirement and transitioning to strongly recommending the vaccine (and boosters, when eligible) for all students, staff, faculty, and visitors.

The university strongly recommends that faculty and staff receive booster shots, when eligible. However, as of summer 2022 the booster is no longer required for employees to work on campus.

Yes. You can schedule an appointment at university Health Services to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine. UHS can help you determine if you are eligible for a booster. To schedule an appointment, please call 617.287.5661.

UMass Boston currently has a mask optional policy in all spaces on campus, except for in University Health Services. Within UHS, patients who have respiratory symptoms or fever must wear a face mask.
Please note the following:
- Masks are welcomed and encouraged on campus.
- Anyone completing isolation or quarantine should continue to wear a high quality mask for the full 10 days.
Beginning Wednesday January 18, UMass Boston will shift to a mask optional policy in all spaces on campus, except for in University Health Services.
Please continue to be vigilant in closely monitoring your own health and symptoms. If you feel symptoms, please stay home and get tested. We will continue to make antigen tests and masks (surgical and KN95) available on campus.

According to the CDC: “Masks and respirators (i.e., specialized filtering masks such as “N95s”) can provide different levels of protection depending on the type of mask and how they are used. Loosely woven cloth products provide the least protection, layered finely woven products offer more protection, well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s offer even more protection, and well-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators (including N95s) offer the highest level of protection.” If available to you, we strongly recommend using multi-layer masks made of non-woven material to protect yourself and others from virus particles. Surgical masks, KN95, KF94, and N95 all offer better protection than cloth masks. Double masking can also be an effective strategy. Do not use loose fitting knit materials or items such as bandanas or neck gaiters.

- If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 you should stay home and take a COVID test. Follow your health care provider’s guidance and university quarantine and isolation guidance as to when to return to school or work; and isolate in place until you receive your test result.
- If you are an employee and you do not have sick or vacation time available to use, you should still stay at home until your health provider confirms that you may return to work and you have complied with university guidance regarding quarantine and isolation. Notify your manager and contact Lori Sullivan in Human Resources at lori.sullivan@umb.edu to discuss any options that may be available.

- You should closely monitor for any symptoms, wear a mask and you should plan to get tested (preferably on day 5 after exposure). You can conduct an at home test or get tested at UHS. You may also choose to consult a UHS clinician by calling 617.287.5660.
- If you experience symptoms, contact a UHS clinician. You should rest and isolate until you receive a test result.

If your roommate tests positive, you will likely be considered to have been exposed. You do not need to quarantine but should plan to wear a high quality mask for 10 days, should closely monitor for symptoms, and should test on day 5.

You can come to campus. For any chronic condition, such as an allergy, individuals should monitor for any changes or exacerbation of the symptoms. If there are changes or exacerbation, you should stay home and call UHS or your primary care provider. Because COVID-19 (and the flu) can mimic allergy symptoms it is recommended that the you receive regular COVID-19 tests at UHS.

The university expects that individuals testing positive will make every reasonable effort to identify and notify those who may have been exposed. The CDC guidelines state that you have been exposed if you were within 6 feet of a COVID positive individual for a period of 15 minutes over a 24 hour period. 

Since the start of the pandemic, we have talked numerous times about prioritizing the health and safety of our community – we want you to know that today, tomorrow, and beyond, these will continue to be our guiding principles in our decision-making, communications, policies, and practices. We are actively monitoring the development and spread of new variants. We communicate regularly with local and state health officials about the everchanging data. As more information becomes available and/or as recommendations from state and federal health organizations shift, we will communicate any changes to our policies. We appreciate the continued flexibility of our entire community as we battle together against this horrific disease.

Yes, the university continues to provide free home antigen testing kids.  These and masks are available in limited quantities at four campus locations:
- UHS (Quinn, 2nd floor)
- Campus Center Information Desk (Campus Center, Upper Level)
- Human Resources office (Quinn, 3rd floor)
- Office of Environmental Health & Safety (Quinn Service & Supply, Upper Level, 034)

Does the campus have any COVID restrictions in place for events, meetings, or visitors? There are currently no event or visitor restrictions in place. In general, all campus safety protocols apply to visitors and events, but there are currently no event or visitor restrictions in place. Visit the COVID-19 Policies page for more information about visitors on campus.