Fall Semester Campus Health and Safety Updates

Key Points

• The university continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and is also developing response protocols for Monkeypox. 

• At the start of the semester, masks remain required in classrooms and other instructional spaces. Free masks are available on campus. 

• UMBC has launched a new Monkeypox informational webpage. 

Dear UMBC Community,

While there is much to look forward to in the fall semester, we know that many in our community continue to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and that there are also questions and concerns about health risks associated with Monkeypox. Our COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee (CPCC) has been monitoring both situations and consulting with health and safety experts to understand how we can best prepare. 

Continuing COVID-19 Response

• All community members are strongly encouraged to remain up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination to minimize the severity of illness in our community. 

• Residential students are required to be up to date with vaccination and have received detailed instructions on how to share their vaccination records.

• We continue to require masks in classrooms and instructional spaces and recommend them in other campus spaces. Additional details are available here.

• Free high-quality masks are available at locations across campus including at the RAC, the Library, and the Commons Information Center. 

• We continue to provide free rapid tests on campus. 

• Community members who test positive should report their case to the university to receive additional guidance. 

• The CDC still recommends isolation for individuals who test positive or who feel sick and are awaiting test results. Do not come to campus if you have symptoms or are sick. The full CDC guidance is available here.

Monkeypox (MPX) Update

At this time, there are no reported cases of Monkeypox (MPX) on the UMBC campus. The CPCC is meeting regularly to assess the situation and establish treatment and cleaning protocols. Our team is also preparing to respond to potential cases on campus. We are also working closely with the Baltimore County Health Department, which will coordinate regional tracking, collect case reports, and contact individuals who have been exposed.

We encourage all in our community to learn more about this disease, how it is spread, and how you can help prevent transmission. We have developed and will continue to update this informational webpage. If you believe you may have symptoms of MPX or have been in close physical contact with someone who has symptoms, please contact your primary health provider. Students can also contact Retriever Integrated Health for a phone consultation at 410-455-2542. 

If you have any questions about the campus response to COVID-19 or MPX, you can contact us at covid19@umbc.edu. Thank you for helping keep our community healthy. We look forward to seeing you on campus next week.

Provost Philip Rous

Vice President of Information Technology and CIO Jack Suess '81, M.S. '95

COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs