COVID-19 Policies, Topics & FAQs

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Campus Services & Operations

Slow and steady return of essential in-person activity continues on campus, but remains limited at this time. Our hybrid model remains in effect, and many units continue to operate remotely. Units planning for return are charged with overseeing a safe return to campus schedule that is appropriate to their operations and function. See your supervisor/unit head with questions.

The campus is continuing to closely follow state and local public health guidance, as well as monitoring our campus health through the self-reporting and contact tracing process. This information helps inform our operational decisions as a campus, and we are prepared to pivot from our current model if/when needed.

CARES Act

Yes. The University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz has been disbursing CARES Act funding to students since May 1. The Financial Aid webpage provides details on how to apply. Read the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Disclosure for more information on these funds and how they were distributed.

Contractor Access

COVID-19 Symptoms & Safety

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 after exposure.

While all of the details of COVID-19 are not known, CDC reports that transmission appears to be similar to other acute respiratory viruses such as other coronaviruses, seasonal influenza or the common cold.

If you are symptomatic, do the following:

Let your supervisor or professor know, submit a CU Anschutz self-report form, and stay home. You may register for testing, as detailed here, and you will be contacted with further instruction and support.
- If unsure whether to self-report, please follow this guide.
- Contact Cody Coburn, RN, CU Anschutz Occupational Health Division Manager, with questions at cody.coburn@cuanschutz.edu or 303-724-4663.
CDPHE recommends that you self-isolate if you have a positive COVID-19 test, have symptoms of COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19. Unless you are tested and confirmed to be negative for COVID-19, you should assume that what you have is COVID-19, and self-isolate until:
- You have had no fever for at least 24 hours (that is 1 full day of no fever without the use of fever-reducing medication like Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen) AND
- Other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND
- At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared

Employees or students who are well, but who have a sick family member or other household member at home with COVID-19 (or any other acute respiratory illness), should notify their supervisor and refer to the CDC’s guidance on precautions for caring for a sick family member or partner.

The CU Anschutz Occupational Health Division can assist with this assessment. Contact Cody Coburn, RN, CU Anschutz Occupational Health Division Manager, with questions at cody.coburn@cuanschutz.edu or 303-724-4663.by contacting Cody Coburn.

CU Anschutz students, faculty and staff can also sign up for testing for children/minors or household members. Find details and sign-up instructions here.

COVID-19 Testing & Contact Tracing

If you receive a confirmed test, you must immediately self-isolate. A public health or medical professional will be in touch to review the timelines for when you may be released from self-isolation.

Please let your supervisor or professor know, and self-report your status. This is especially important in enabling us to monitor the impact of COVID-19 within the community and beyond and to provide support.

Events & Meetings

Space requests through December 2021 can be submitted in EMS and will be confirmed if current campus guidelines are met.

EMS is also open to submit space requests for classroom and common conference spaces through June 2022.

Confirmations for activities occurring after December 2021 will not be issued until spring academic classes have been assigned to rooms and guidelines have been determined for non-academic activities.

Yes. Outdoor events of more than 45 attendees must undergo the same application and review process as is in place for indoor events. Please submit the Application to Host an In-Person Activity form, at least one full business week prior to your event date, for your request to be reviewed.

Masks are recommended but optional for fully vaccinated individuals at outdoor events of any size. Masks are also recommended but optional for unvaccinated individuals at outdoor events of any size, provided they maintain 10+ feet of physical distance from others.

Food is allowed only outdoors at this time and cannot be self-serve (buffet style). Those serving food to attendees must be masked and vaccinated.

Events with 45 or more attendees require an application and review.

Alcohol approvals are required and the process remains as it was pre-pandemic.

Please reference CU’s sensitive expenditures guidance here for details on allowable event expenses, food and beverage, funding sources and necessary approvals.

Any event involving paid registrations is required to use Cvent or the CU Storefronts to collect online payment. Any fundraising event or event with paid sponsorships is required to use Cvent to collect online gifts or sponsorship payment. No exceptions. Please contact ecomm@cuanschutz.edu with questions.

Off-campus University events of more than 45 people require approval by the dean or vice chancellor of the school or unit organizing the event, regardless of whether university funds are being used. Contact the dean’s/vice chancellor’s office directly with such requests. Approved events deemed university-sanctioned may be booked directly through the event venue.

Off-campus University events of 45 or fewer attendees do not require approval, and may be booked directly through the event venue.

In all cases, attendees must follow protocols in place at the event venue and local public health authority.

Health & Mental Health

If you are symptomatic, do the following:

Let your supervisor or professor know, submit a CU Anschutz self-report form, and stay home. You may register for testing, as detailed here, and you will be contacted with further instruction and support.
- If unsure whether to self-report, please follow this guide.
- Contact Cody Coburn, RN, CU Anschutz Occupational Health Division Manager, with questions at cody.coburn@cuanschutz.edu or 303-724-4663.
CDPHE recommends that you self-isolate if you have a positive COVID-19 test, have symptoms of COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19. Unless you are tested and confirmed to be negative for COVID-19, you should assume that what you have is COVID-19, and self-isolate until:
- You have had no fever for at least 24 hours (that is 1 full day of no fever without the use of fever-reducing medication like Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen) AND
- Other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND
- At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared

You can find mental health resources and information in the following locations:

Campus mental health resources page
Department of Psychiatry’s COVID-19 Support website
Student & Resident Mental Health website
HR website
State of Colorado’s COVID-19 help website

View Our Mental Health Resources Flyer

Students, faculty and staff who believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 or have tested positive are to report that status. CU Anschutz will work with public health authorities if there is danger of significant exposure to individuals who were in direct contact in the workplace with anyone who has reported a positive COVID-19 test result. CU Anschutz is prohibited by law from sharing the content of any reports, including the name of the individual who made the report.

Human Resources

Contact your supervisor/unit head, and your unit’s HR business partner, with concerns about returning to campus.

You may also visit our workplace adjustment webpage to learn about our process for responding to concerns and access our form for requests related to current work arrangements.

If you are high-risk or uncomfortable returning to work, please contact your supervisor/unit head, and your unit’s HR business partner.

You may also visit our workplace adjustment webpage to learn about our process for responding to concerns and access our form for requests related to current work arrangements.

Masks & Face Coverings

A cloth mask or other facial covering is acceptable, as long as it covers your nose and mouth. A face shield is not an acceptable substitute. View CU Anschutz face mask guidance, and learn more on the CDC website.

Read more about mask requirements on campus on the return to campus webpage.

Return to Campus Protocols & Safety

The daily health questionnaire/attestation is no longer required for those fully vaccinated.

Unvaccinated individuals must continue to complete the daily health questionnaire every day to be on campus. Access it through this easy-access link daily prior to arrival on campus, or scan the QR code posted on building signage to access. Once you complete the daily questionnaire, you may make your way to your workspace.

State of Colorado Guidance

CO HELP is Colorado’s call line for the novel coronavirus. People who have general questions about COVID-19 can call CO HELP at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911, for answers in many languages, or email them at COHELP@RMPDC.org for answers in English. You can also go to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment’s COVID-19 website.

Travel

The CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated. Those choosing to travel for personal reasons are encouraged to assess the risks and current recommendations in place and to take precautions while traveling. A travel planner tool is available to help you evaluate conditions by U.S. destination, and quick reference guides detail recommendations for domestic travel and international travel based on vaccination status.

You are encouraged to follow CDC recommendations for returning from domestic travel. Carefully monitor your health status. If you were exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive, or if you show COVID-19-like symptoms - even if you’ve been vaccinated - let your supervisor/unit head know and submit a self-report. You may register for free testing, and you will be contacted with further instruction and support.

The CDC cautions individuals not to travel internationally until fully vaccinated, and notes that international travel poses additional risks. If you do travel internationally, follow CDC recommendations for returning from international travel, get tested and avoid close contact with people who are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Vaccine Requirement & Verification Process

You are considered fully vaccinated 14 or more days past your final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Employees and affiliates who have received only one dose of a two-dose vaccine, or are not yet 14 days beyond their final vaccine dose, can submit their form by choosing "Vaccine in Process" in the verification system. They will need to re-submit their form when fully vaccinated. Students should work directly with their school or program.

All COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) will be accepted. As of June 1, 2021, these are: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Oxford–AstraZeneca (Covishield), Sinovac and Sinopharm-BBIBP.

CU Anschutz Environmental Health & Safety may accept verification of additional COVID-19 vaccines on a case-by-case basis, as they are approved by the WHO.

The university reserves the right to require that an individual receive a WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine, even if that individual may have been previously vaccinated with a non-WHO-approved vaccine.

Students and employees may request medical or religious exemptions to the vaccination requirement. Medical exemptions require the signature of a licensed medical provider. Please note that with either exemption request, you will be contacted by a campus representative to validate that request; until it is validated, you are not cleared to be on campus after September 1. Unvaccinated individuals with approved exemptions on file must take part in the mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing program.

You can find details and downloadable exemption forms here.

Students must submit proof of vaccination directly to their school or program. If filing an exemption request, they must submit the exemption form to their school or program, and submit an exemption request using the vaccine verification system. Students can then forward their confirmation email to their school or program.

Employees may submit provider-signed medical exemption forms, and/or attest to religious exemptions, using the vaccine verification system. You will need to ensure you have your signed medical exemption form in JPG or PDF format prior to completing the vaccine verification process.

Consolidated Services Admin (CSA) employees will select the CSA Consolidated Unit affiliation and follow CU Anschutz processes.

Academic Services Admin (ASA) employees whose work brings them to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus will select the CU Anschutz Medical Campus affiliation and follow CU Anschutz processes. ASA employees who work on the CU Denver campus 100% of the time will select the ASA Consolidated Unit affiliation and follow CU Denver processes.

All faculty or staff who may be physically present on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus or may access any university facility, or whose employment activities may require in-person interaction with other CU Anschutz employees, students, patients, study subjects or members of the public – including external conferences (regardless of location) - are required to fulfill the university vaccination requirement. Compliance with this policy is required regardless of the individual’s frequency on campus or interaction with others; even a one-time visit or interaction requires compliance.

Positions or programs that require on-campus presence or interaction with others will not be allowed to be performed remotely in order to avoid compliance with this policy. However, positions that have been previously approved by a supervisor as being 100% remote - without any current or future presence at any CU Anschutz facility or in-person interaction with any employee, student, patient or study subject of the CU Anschutz Medical Campus - are not required to comply with this policy.

Students who may be physically present on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus or may access any university facility, or whose academic activities may require in-person interaction with other CU Anschutz employees, students, patients, study subject or members of the public – including external conferences (regardless of location) - are required to fulfill the university vaccination requirement. Compliance with this policy is required regardless of the individual’s frequency on campus or interaction with others; even a one-time visit or interaction requires compliance.

Students who are also employees must both submit to their school and complete the university vaccine verification process.

CU Anschutz will review submitted vaccination verifications on a case-by-case basis for those who have received a non-WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine. As of June 1, 2021, these are: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Oxford–AstraZeneca (Covishield), Sinovac and Sinopharm-BBIBP.

During the review process, students will be required to adhere to the following on-campus protocols: complete the daily health questionnaire before coming to campus, wear a mask at all times, maintain 6 feet or more of physical distance from others, self-report and stay home when sick, quarantine in accordance with up-to-date Centers for Disease Control guidance, and may be subject to frequent asymptomatic COVID-19 testing at their own cost and expense.

For PC:

You can open the .tif file using Microsoft Office Document Imaging, or Photo Viewer for Windows.

Download the .tif image you received in your vaccination verification email to your computer, in an easy to find location.
Right-click the .tif file that you want to open.
Click "Open With", and then click "Choose Program".
In the Programs list, click "Microsoft Office Document Imaging".*
Check the box to "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file", then click OK.

This will open the .tif and associate it with Microsoft Office Document Imaging so you will also be able to open files of this type in the future as well.

For Mac:

Download the file to your computer.
Double-click the file and it should open in preview or any other application that supports this file format.

Supervisors who are responsible for ensuring that employees and students with approved exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccination requirements are complying with campus testing, masking and distancing requirements will be informed that an individual has an approved exemption.

Supervisors will not know what type of exemption that individual has, or the basis for that exemption.

The University adopted its COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of the campus community including the patients that are treated by its faculty and staff in University, UC Health, and Children’s Hospital clinics. The University determined that a mandatory vaccination requirement for its employees and students is the best way to accomplish this goal.

The university’s Campus Administrative Policy 3012 allows individuals to be exempted from the policy for religious or medical reasons.

The facts and circumstances of each exemption request are considered by a review committee which includes individuals from the legal office and Human Resource for employee exemption requests or the relevant School/College or Program for student exemption requests to determine whether the exemption request meets the legal and policy requirements that allow for individuals to be exempted from the vaccine requirement. The committee may consider other circumstances in its review such as whether the individual has received vaccinations for other diseases in the past. For employees, the committee also evaluates whether the accommodation sought (not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine) poses an undue burden on the University.

A review committee consisting of individuals from Occupational Health and the Legal office also reviews each medical exemption request individually to determine whether the request meets the policy criteria, relying primarily on the guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FDA, ACIP and relevant state laws, including 6 CCR 1011-1. A medical exemption is allowed if the individual is unable to receive any COVID-19 vaccination based on established contraindications or if known effects of the vaccine may cause a serious or life-threatening complications of an individual's medical condition. Individual's requesting exemption for medical reasons must provide sufficient detail regarding their medical history to allow determination whether these criteria are met.

CU Anschutz strives to be a public health leader in Colorado and beyond, and implement campus policies that remain reflective of its values and mission.

Vaccines

No, fully vaccinated students and employees no longer need to complete the daily health questionnaire, and can refer to the return to campus webpage for information on campus protocols.

Those who are unvaccinated must complete the daily health questionnaire, as well as adhere to these protocols.

Yes, you must continue to self-report if you may have been exposed, test positive or develop COVID-19-like symptoms, even once vaccinated. Note that if you have been fully vaccinated AND it has been 14 days since you had the second dose, you may no longer need to quarantine if exposed to a known positive COVID-19 case. You will, however, need to do so if you become symptomatic after vaccination. The Contact Tracing team will follow up with appropriate guidance.

Severe allergic reactions were not common during COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. The CDC provides detailed information on allergic reaction concerns, as well as recommendations on safeguards to be put into place at vaccination provider sites including on-site monitoring of all vaccine recipients.

If you get a COVID-19 vaccine and think you may be having an allergic reaction after leaving the vaccination site, call 911 immediately.

The CDC notes that people are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series (like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines) and 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine (like Johnson & Johnson's vaccine). It is important to keep taking all prevention steps until you are fully vaccinated.

It takes time for your body to build protection after you’ve received the vaccine, so it’s essential to continue to wear a mask, keep your distance and stay home when sick, even after you’ve been vaccinated. Learn more about vaccination considerations here.

COVID-19 Policies, Topics & FAQs

Jump to Content

Campus Services & Operations

CARES Act

Contractor Access

COVID-19 Symptoms & Safety

COVID-19 Testing & Contact Tracing

Events & Meetings

Health & Mental Health

Human Resources

Masks & Face Coverings

Return to Campus Protocols & Safety

State of Colorado Guidance

Travel

Vaccine Requirement & Verification Process

Vaccines

Campus Services & Operations

When will my team/unit be brought back to campus? How long until our full community is back on campus?

Where can I find details on parking and transportation?

Is the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center open for members?

If the public health situation changes, how will CU Anschutz decide whether to close the campus?

CARES Act

Did CU Anschutz receive funds from the CARES Act to provide emergency funding to students?

Where do I find the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

Contractor Access

How do outside vendors and contractors access the campus at this time?

COVID-19 Symptoms & Safety

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

How do I opt in to Colorado exposure notifications on my phone?

What do I do if I have symptoms?

What if I have a sick family member or household member?

Where do I find information about safety protocols like masks and physical distancing?

COVID-19 Testing & Contact Tracing

How can I get a COVID-19 test?

What is the mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing program required for unvaccinated individuals who submitted for an exemption?

How long should I wait after COVID-19 exposure to get tested?

What should I do if I test positive for COVID-19?

The registration link to make an appointment isn't working. What should I do?

Can someone else in my family sign up for COVID testing?

How do I know if I should be tested after potential campus exposure?

What are the university’s guidelines for clinical faculty and staff to return to work after illness and COVID-19 testing?

Events & Meetings

What is the status of university events?

How do I host a meeting for my team/work unit?

How are room reservations handled on campus?

Where can I find COVID capacity information for campus buildings and rooms?

Can I hold an outdoor event on campus?

Are food and alcohol allowed at on-campus events?

What are the mask requirements for on-campus events?

Can my department/unit invite speakers, guest lecturers, participants and other guests to on-campus events?

What tools does CU Anschutz offer for event management and payment collection?

What is the process for booking an event at an off-campus venue?

Who do I contact with questions about events, meetings and campus spaces?

Health & Mental Health

What do I do if I have symptoms?

What mental health resources are available for students, faculty and staff?

Will I be notified if someone in my unit tests positive? How will contact tracing be conducted in work units?

What is the process for procuring PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)?

Human Resources

What should I do if I’m not comfortable returning to campus?

What if I am in a higher-risk group or have an underlying medical condition? Will I still have to return to campus?

What is HR’s policy on administrative paid leave during COVID-19?

Where can I find child care and elder care resources?

Masks & Face Coverings

Are masks required on campus, even for those fully vaccinated?

Are face coverings or masks provided by the campus?

What type of face covering or mask is acceptable for me to wear on campus?

What is the process for procuring PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)?

Return to Campus Protocols & Safety

Where can I find the latest information about on-campus protocols?

Is completing the health questionnaire a requirement? How do I access it?

I am a CU Anschutz employee working at an affiliate hospital or other off-site clinic location. Whose policies and procedures do I follow if there are differences?

How will I be notified if my unit has additional requirements beyond the campuswide guidelines?

Will cleaning supplies be provided to help disinfect my work area at the end of the work day?

What steps is CU Anschutz taking to ensure facilities are clean and sanitized?

State of Colorado Guidance

Where can I find the latest guidance for Coloradans?

Who should I contact with questions about COVID-19 in Colorado?

Travel

What is the status of university-related travel?