Keep HBS Healthy

• Feeling Sick? Stay home, contact your care provider, and complete a Self-Assessment. Report positive tests through Crimson Clear.
• Masks: Masks are optional throughout the HBS campus, but any individual can always choose to wear a mask. Masks will remain available at locations throughout campus.
• Testing: Until September 16, all community members have the option of testing by taking a self-administered test and submitting it via Color.

Guided by public health officials and experts, Harvard no longer requires routine testing for COVID-19. However, all community members have the option of PCR testing if they wish, until September 16, by taking a self-administered test and submitting it via Color. Tests are processed in 24-48 hours excluding weekends. Anyone with symptoms or known exposure is encouraged to test and report status through Crimson Clear.

Alternatively, antigen “at home” testing is a fast, convenient, and reliable way to test when you have symptoms or want confirmation of your COVID status. Most people are eligible for eight free antigen tests a month through private insurance, including HBS faculty, staff and students. In addition, the federal government is providing free tests via www.covid.gov/tests.

If you receive a positive test, would like exposure guidance, or are experiencing symptoms, please complete a Self Assessment on Crimson Clear, which will initiate a response from Harvard University Health Services (HUHS). Please wait for guidance from HUHS before returning to campus activity.

Please use Crimson Clear to report when you are experiencing COVID symptoms, would like exposure guidance, or test positive. When you use Crimson Clear, HUHS can follow up to provide you with health guidance.

In the time between receiving your positive test result and moving into isolation, it’s very important to minimize your movement and exposure to others. If you are off campus, do not come to campus for any reason. If you receive a positive result while you are on campus, go home immediately.

Additionally:

• Isolation protocols at Harvard are informed by the CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), and other public health experts.
• Infected individuals with no symptoms, or resolving symptoms and no fever, may end strict isolation after 5 full days (isolation ending on day 6). You then need to wear a well-fitting mask for another 5 days.
• You should avoid travel during the full 10-day period.
• Individuals who test positive should identify and notify their close contacts. Email communication from HUHS following a positive test notification will provide guidance on notifying close contacts.

After a potential exposure to COVID-19, determine if you meet all 4 criteria of a close contact:

• Exposed to someone confirmed to be infected (either notified by an individual who tested positive via PCR test or a contact tracer told them to treat themselves as if they had a positive PCR test), and
• Interaction was indoors, and
• Interaction was close—less than 6 feet away, and
• Interaction lasted at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period

If you do not meet all 4 criteria, you are not considered a close contact. No further action is needed. You should continue to practice health and safety measures.

If you do meet all 4 criteria, you are considered a close contact. Your quarantine requirements depend on your vaccination and booster status.

Quarantine not required if are a close contact and you:

• have been boosted, or
• completed the primary series of a 2-dose FDA- or WHO-authorized vaccine within the last 5 months, or
• completed the primary series of a single-dose FDA- or WHO-authorized vaccine within the last 2 months.

Even if you are not quarantining, you need to do the following:

• Wear a mask around others for the 10 days following exposure.
• Test on day 1 and day 5 following the exposure using an antigen or PCR test.
• Self-monitor for COVID symptoms. If you develop symptoms: isolate from others, get tested, and stay home while waiting for the test results.

Quarantine required if you are a close contact and you:

• completed the primary series of a 2-dose FDA- or WHO-authorized vaccine over 5 months ago and are not boosted, or
• completed the primary series of a single-dose FDA- or WHO-authorized vaccine over 2 months ago and are not boosted, or
• are unvaccinated.

In addition, please do the following:

• Complete the quarantine for 5 full days following the date of last exposure. Do not eat or socialize with others during this time.
• Wear a mask around others for the 10 days following the date of last exposure.
• Test on day 1 and day 5 following exposure, regardless of symptoms, with an antigen or PCR test.
• Self-monitor for COVID symptoms (if you do not have any). If you develop symptoms: get tested and stay home and wait for the test results.

Please note, the term isolation refers to a positive COVID-19 case. Quarantine refers to close contacts who have not yet tested positive. Isolation is more restrictive than quarantine. The only reasons one can break isolation are for an emergency or a medical appointment. People who are quarantined should restrict their movement outside their home and separate themselves from others inside.

Booster shots are required for students within 30 days of your eligibility to receive a booster. Details on how to find and schedule a shot and upload your proof of vaccination are outlined on the University's COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster Information page. For Harvard paid-employees, Harvard highly recommends being up-to-date with your COVID vaccinations per CDC definition. Harvard will continue to monitor compliance for primary series vaccination.

Members of the Harvard community can claim exemptions to the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. Students claiming an exemption should complete the Student Vaccine Exemption Form. Faculty, staff, and researchers wishing to note an exemption to the vaccine requirement can do so through Crimson Clear, which you can access from the Verify Your Vaccination webpage.

Please review the University’s travel guidance for more information.

Travelers should plan accordingly if PCR tests are needed for their destination. Turnaround time for testing through Harvard is a minimum of 24-48 hours. Please note that HUHS is not able to provide monitored antigen or ad hoc PCR tests for travel.

Individuals who have recently tested positive (in the past 90 days) and have their isolation and discharge managed through Harvard’s Contact Tracing team can request a travel letter noting their recent positive test result at contact_tracing_questions@huhs.harvard.edu. Letters can take up to 5 days to be fulfilled. Please note that the contact tracing team will note if the test was an antigen or PCR test.