Keep HBS Healthy

• Masks are always required indoors
• External guests for events and other brief visits may be allowed in late October, with hosts responsible for ensuring guests follow appropriate safety protocols
• Each member of the Harvard community can find their updated testing cadence requirement by logging into Crimson Clear, but you can test more often if you need to. You can find the School's lastest testing data on the Harvard Business School Dashboard (log-in required)
• All members of the HBS community should have completed the Community Commitment process and embedded training. If you have not, please complete it before coming to campus for the first time
• If you're experiencing symptoms, please complete a Self Assessment on Crimson Clear, which will initiate a consultation with Harvard University Health Services (HUHS). Please wait for a call/guidance from HUHS before returning to campus activity

COVID testing will remain a part of the University's ongoing efforts to track and limit the coronavirus within our community. Your required testing cadence will be determined by factors including whether you live on or off campus, your vaccination status, and infection rates in the local community. Each member of the Harvard community can find their updated testing cadence requirement by logging into Crimson Clear. You will also receive regular text and email notifications reminding you of your next testing day. You will need to set up your Color account at Color.com before you test for the first time. Please see instructions on how to correctly self-test.

If you receive a positive test result through a provider outside of Harvard’s coronavirus testing system (e.g., non-HUHS physician’s office, pharmacy, urgent care center), have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive outside of Harvard, or are experiencing symptoms please complete a Self Assessment on Crimson Clear, which will initiate a consultation with Harvard University Health Services (HUHS). Please wait for a call/guidance from HUHS before returning to campus activity

Crimson Clear is used to communicate an individual's testing cadence and to confirm that vaccination information has been received. It can also be used for community members to submit a vaccine exemption. In addition, we ask that you use Crimson Clear to report when you are experiencing COVID symptoms, have a recent exposure to a positive case, or test positive outside of our program. When you do so, HUHS can follow up to provide you with health guidance.

If you test positive for COVID-19, HUHS will contact you by phone to discuss your isolation requirements and determine your ability to self-isolate. It is important that you talk to our trained contact tracers before sharing your news with others so that you have the most accurate information. In the time between receiving your positive test result and moving into isolation, it’s incredibly important to minimize your movement and exposure to others. If you live off campus, do not come to campus for any reason. If you receive a positive result while you are on campus for the day, you should gather your belongings and go home immediately.

The contact tracers will:

• Conduct an in-depth interview (typically 20-30 minutes)
• Educate, support, and identify your needs and barriers to self-isolation
• Connect and refer you to additional resources
• Ensure your confidentiality
• Identify your close contacts during your potentially infectious time period; this may include proximal contacts as well as close contacts
• Check in with you regularly until your isolation is over
• Provide you with return to work/school clearance and instructions

Typically, isolation after a positive test result is 10 full days, but you must be cleared by a contact tracer before resuming normal activities.

To reach the contract tracing team please call 617-496-2288 or email Contact_Tracing_Questions@huhs.harvard.edu. When emailing, please be concise but include as all relevant details, including the infected person's identity, exposures of concern, and who you are, along with your contact phone number.

If you have been exposed to a COVID-positive community member and are considered a close contact, HUHS will:

• Notify you of your exposure
• Maintain confidentiality for the infected person
• Educate, support, and identify your needs and barriers to self-quarantine, if applicable
• Connect and refer you to additional resources
• Refer you to additional testing as appropriate
• Check in with you regularly until your quarantine is over, if applicable
• Provide you with return to work/school clearance and instructions

Fully vaccinated individuals typically will not need to quarantine after an exposure provided they are not experiencing symptoms and they have submitted a copy of their vaccine record to HUHS. You will closely monitor your health for any symptoms 14 days post exposure and may be asked to test more frequently.

Individuals who are experiencing symptoms following an exposure, or are not fully vaccinated, will be required to quarantine or restrict activities for 10 full days (or a time frame determined by contact tracers) and will require additional testing prior to discharge.

The health and safety program on campus is built on a system of trust, your confidentiality will be maintained by contract tracers so please be transparent with them about who you were near and how you are feeling.

Please note, the term isolation refers to a positive COVID-19 case. Quarantine refers to close contacts who have not yet tested positive, but are unvaccinated or are recommended by their care provider to limit contact with others. Isolation is more restrictive than quarantine. The only reason one can break isolation is for an emergency or a medical appointment. People who are quarantined can leave their dwelling to pick up and submit COVID tests.

Fully vaccinated individuals may undertake University-related travel within the United States, and to international destinations rated Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 for COVID-19 by the CDC. Unvaccinated individuals or those considering travel to a CDC Level 4 country must complete a petition. If you choose to travel for personal reasons, review the post-travel COVID testing and quarantine policy.

Are you a student arriving to campus for the first time? Please contact the Registrar.

MBA students: please see current guidelines (log-in required).

Outdoors: Vaccinated individuals are not required to mask or distance outdoors, including while eating/drinking. Unvaccinated individuals should continue to protect themselves while on campus by practicing physical distancing when possible, especially when unmasked.

Indoors: Masks are required for everyone indoors except when actively eating/drinking (consume and cover applies). While vaccinated individuals are not required to distance indoors, it’s a best practice to maintain distance when possible. Unvaccinated individuals should continue to protect themselves while on campus by practicing physical distancing, especially when unmasked.

External guests for events and other brief visits may be allowed in late October, with hosts responsible for ensuring guests follow appropriate safety protocols.

Plan an event (log-in required).

Reserve space on campus (log-in required).

MBA students: please see current guidelines (log-in required).

While the University no longer requires that vaccinated persons observe physical distance requirements, either indoors or outdoors, it’s a best practice to maintain distance when possible. Unvaccinated persons are still required to maintain physical distancing indoors.

Masks are required at all times indoors for everyone regardless of vaccination status, except when alone in a private space (e.g., individual office) with the door closed or when actively eating in a designated dining area. Harvard may revisit this in the future. Anyone who feels uncomfortable without a mask is encouraged to wear one whenever and wherever they would like.

Approved indoor locations for dining include: all dining rooms, lounges, common areas, conference rooms, project rooms, individual offices, and staff work stations. Dining is not permitted in classrooms at this time. Masks must be worn at all times unless actively eating or drinking, and unvaccinated individuals are encouraged to protect themselves by distancing when eating.

If you haven't submitted your vaccination verification yet, please visit the Verify Your Vaccination webpage and follow the instructions. If you received your vaccine through HUHS, you do not need to submit any information, as HUHS already has your information on file. HUHS keeps individual medical information secure and confidential.

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. Unvaccinated persons (regardless of the reason) will be subject to additional public health measures, including extra testing, above and beyond what is required of vaccinated individuals.