As students return to Johns Hopkins University campuses, they'll be greeted with a college experience that looks quite different than it did in past years. Classes will be conducted through a combination of in-person and online modalities. Popular spots like the O'Connor Recreation Center, Brody Learning Commons, and Milton S. Eisenhower Library will have new limits on density and seating. And students, as they return, will be asked to place a premium on safety—their own as well as that of their peers, faculty, and university staff. Everyone on campus must wear appropriate face coverings and follow physical distancing and other public health and safety guidance.
To help those coming back to Baltimore—or moving to the Homewood campus for the first time—the Hub has assembled this guide for Johns Hopkins undergraduates living on and off campus in Baltimore that details what to expect from the health and safety systems and procedures established by the university.
Move-In
Hopkins requires that all undergraduate students residing on campus and in Baltimore be tested for COVID-19 at move-in and twice a week thereafter. Students residing off campus must complete a test within 24 hours of returning to Baltimore. Students living on campus will follow the procedure outlined below.
Image caption: COVID-19 testing during move-in weekend will take place at Shriver Hall.
Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University
Students—and any friends or family members helping with the move—will park at the South Garage located at 3101 Wyman Park Drive. Before heading to the residence hall to unpack, students will complete a health screening and oral COVID-19 test at Shriver Hall. During move-in weekend, Shriver Hall will be the only testing site available to students. To reach the testing site, follow the brick paths to the back of Hackerman Hall after exiting the South Garage.
Family members are not allowed to accompany students to the health screening and are asked to remain in their vehicle in the garage.
Image caption: Students will collect 1 to 1.5 mL of saliva for their twice-weekly COVID-19 test.
Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University
For the test, you will be asked to drool into a small collection tube—no difficult or painful nasal swabs here—and then get it checked by the specimen collector to make sure it's been done correctly. Make sure to limit how much you eat and drink, and avoid using tobacco products, mouthwash, or brushing your teeth for 60 minutes before taking the test.
Completed tests are placed in one of the cooler racks, and students can head to the Housing table to collect their residence hall key and J-Card. Students will be asked to show their QR code from the Housing portal, so have it handy on your phone or print it off before making your way over. Additionally, make sure you've gotten your flu shot and completed your pre-entrance health form requirements to avoid any delays. Flu vaccinations will be available at Shriver for students who need one.
Staff around campus will help direct traffic and assist students and their families with parking. At your residence hall, a staff member will greet you and provide a bin to unpack your vehicle. Family members and guests will not be allowed into the building. After your belongings are moved in, return the bin to the entrance of the building so it can be cleaned and disinfected for the next student in line—your new neighbor! At this point say your goodbyes to your family and settle in.
Once you've gotten your COVID test and moved in, now what? Well, unfortunately, you need to stay put for 24 hours until the results of your test come back. You're allowed to grab food, but no gathering with other students or walking the campus yet. Take this time to catch up on The Queen's Gambit if you're one of the few who missed out this winter, or get a start on setting up the perfect backdrop for your virtual classes.
If your test comes back clear, you're free to walk the campus or check out some of the in-person or virtual return-to-campus programming. Just make sure to stay masked and keep your 6 feet of distance from others.
Testing
After initial tests during move-in, every undergraduate student in Baltimore, regardless of whether they live on or off campus, is required to take twice-weekly COVID tests. It is the student's responsibility to schedule these tests. During the semester, testing locations will be split between five locations throughout the Homewood campus, with additional testing available at other Hopkins campuses. The Homewood sites will offer testing from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Homewood testing locations are:
- Shriver Hall
- AMR II Blue Jay Lounge
- Glass Pavilion
- Charles Commons
- Lacrosse Hall of Fame building
Testing is conducted on an appointment-only basis. Appointments at JHU's asymptomatic testing sites must be scheduled through the MyChart website. After logging in, select the menu on the left side, click "Schedule an Appointment" and select the "Asymptomatic COVID-19 Saliva Test." You'll have to do this twice weekly, so while you're in there, why not set up your second test as well?
Remember that the saliva tests must be scheduled at least one day apart, but otherwise there are no restrictions as to what day they can be done. One week, you may get tested on Monday and Friday, while another week select Tuesday and Thursday. As long as both tests are received in a seven-day period, you're in compliance.
These tests will sync with the Prodensity app, which will act as your access to campus buildings. Be prepared to show a Green Pass citing your negative testing status at any point while on campus.
If you test positive, the results will be reported to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Call Center. They will contact you with your test results and share them with the Student Health and Wellness Center, COVID-19 case managers, your residential hall staff, and transportation staff for contact tracing purposes. This information will be kept as confidential as possible. The Johns Hopkins COVID Call Center will not share information on testing status for the purpose of citing a student for disciplinary action.
Students who test positive and live on campus will be moved into isolation housing to help keep other students safe. Undergraduate students living off campus who test positive will be offered isolation housing based on need.
You will be cleared to return to your residence hall and in-person activities at least 10 days after the positive and 24 hours since your last fever. To obtain clearance, students from the schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, should call 410-955-3250 for an evaluation from University Health Services. Students of any other JHU school should contact the Student Health and Wellness Center at 410-516-8270 for evaluation.
If you test positive, you will receive a 90-day exemption from weekly testing and will not be able to schedule asymptomatic tests via MyChart. Prodensity will notify you through the app when it's time to start testing again.
