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COVID-19

Although no longer a pandemic, COVID-19 is endemic, and we may see cases throughout the academic year. We’re here to help. Together, we continue to make decisions and take steps focused on keeping ourselves and our communities as safe and healthy as possible. Read on for guidance on how to protect yourself and others.

Prevention

Vaccination

  • Students, faculty, and staff who provide patient-facing health care must provide documentation of one of the following: a COVID-19 primary series and a booster, one dose of the latest vaccine, or a religious or medical accommodation.
  • Tufts recommends that all faculty, staff, students, vendors, and affiliates review CDC COVID-19 vaccine guidance and discuss with their health care provider the benefits of remaining up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.
  • Review the university's complete COVID-19 vaccination policies and requirements.

Masking

Tufts suggests wearing KN95 masks indoors as an effective strategy to prevent transmission of respiratory illness, including COVID-19.

  • To protect our patients who may be vulnerable, masking is required in all health care settings, including designated areas of the School of Dental Medicine, Student Health Service, the Counseling and Mental Health Center, and Tufts Occupational Health Services (OHS).
  • Masks are available at pharmacies and online.
  • Additional information on the use of masks can be found on the CDC’s website.

Upcoming Vaccination Clinics

Tufts periodically offers vaccination clinics for influenza and COVID-19 booster shots. Details can be found here when clinics are scheduled.

Isolation & Exposure

Update: 3/27/24

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (Mass DPH) has recently aligned its COVID-19 and respiratory virus guidelines with those of the U.S. CDC. Tufts University follows U.S. CDC and Mass DPH guidelines on COVID-19. Please be sure you are up to date on the latest guidance on how to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.

What's New

  • If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses, with or without positive test results, you no longer need to isolate for a minimum of five days. This does not mean that you may attend school or work if you are sick. If you are sick, stay home and follow the guidance about returning to usual activities.
  • Students, faculty, and staff who work in the School of Dental Medicine, Tufts Dental Facilities, and Student and Occupational Health Services should follow the guidance for health care workers. 
  • For at least the first five days after you resume normal activities, take extra precautions including wearing a mask anytime you are indoors and around other people.

Illness & Testing

Please stay home if you are experiencing symptoms. Below is guidance for getting evaluated and tested if you are symptomatic. Please do not attend class or come to work without having tested negative. Supervisors and faculty are being asked to be flexible with respect to accommodating students and employees who are out due to COVID-19 infection.

Faculty and Staff

For evaluation or testing, contact your PCD or contact a Tufts Occupational Health Services location on your campus for an appointment:

Boston Health Sciences: 75 Kneeland Street, 6th Floor, Suite 602 | 617-627-6500, option 2

Grafton: Our Grafton location currently provides virtual visits for most concerns and in-person visits by appointment only. Please call to have your concerns triaged. | 617-627-6500, option 3

Medford/Somerville: 124 Professors Row, Ground Floor | 617-627-6500, option 1

Students

Contact the health center on your campus to schedule an appointment for symptom evaluation and/or symptomatic testing. If you are a visiting student and require a COVID-19 symptom evaluation or test, please visit your primary care physician or an urgent care clinic.

Select your campus:

Student Health Service
124 Professors Row, Medford
Phone: 617-627-3350
On-call service is available 24/7

Center for Collegiate Wellness at Tufts Medical Center
Phone: 617-636-6006 

If the Center is closed, contact your PCP or local urgent care clinic. 

Health Service
200 Westboro Road, Ground Floor, Room 103, Grafton 
508-887-4300 

If the office is closed, contact your PCP or local urgent care clinic. 

If You Test Positive

  • Follow the Mass DPH guidelines. Students, faculty, and staff who work in the School of Dental Medicine, Tufts Dental Facilities, and Student and Occupational Health Services should follow the guidance for health care workers. 
  • You are responsible for notifying your close contacts and your supervisor or course instructors.
  • Supervisors should follow existing sick time and/or extended sick leave policies for employees who test positive for COVID-19.  

COVID-19 VACCINE FAQs

Patient-facing faculty and staff, as defined above, who do not provide a record of having received a COVID-19 primary series and a booster (or if previously unvaccinated, one bivalent dose) or obtained a religious or medical accommodation, will not be allowed to work in-person on campus. Managers will work with Human Resources and those not in compliance to determine if other work arrangements are possible, as identified in the Flexible Work Options Policy. However, if the job function requires the employee to work on-site, further action for non-compliance will be taken. This may include unpaid leave, suspension or other discipline, up to and including termination.

If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, you can contact Student Health Service, Occupational Health Services, or your PCP.

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1. If you have symptoms that need evaluation during non-office hours and do not have other options, you should go to the nearest emergency room.

Additional Resources

Local Data Sources

We monitor multiple data sources to assess broad community trends and inform the university's COVID-19 management approach. These are some of those sources:

COVID-19 Vaccine Information