General Information and GUMC Updates Related to COVID-19

COVID-19 virus image

Messages from the Office of the Executive Vice President of Health Sciences

Georgetown University COVID-19 Information

Please see Georgetown’s COVID-19 website for the latest updates and announcements.

Campus Face Covering Guidance

Effective May 18, 2020, and continuing until further notice, all employees, students and visitors must wear a face covering when on any of the university’s DC campuses.

This guidance is in accordance with the May 13, 2020, District of Columbia Mayor’s Extensions of Public Emergency and Public Health Emergency and Preparation for Washington, DC Reopening Order 2020-066, which mandates, as it pertains to Georgetown, face coverings for individuals engaging in minimal business operations where social distance cannot be maintained.

As detailed in the guidance, all employees and students in a Georgetown University Washington, DC, campus space (including campus buildings, campus grounds, shared laboratory areas, shared residence hall spaces, conference rooms, etc.) are required to wear a face covering at all times, except when alone in a private room with a closed door or in a private vehicle. This guidance also applies to all riders of university GUTS buses. Visitors to campus will also be required to wear face coverings at all times, including children over age 2.

Employees or students who live or work on campus and cannot wear a face covering for reasons related to their inclusion in a protected category may request an accommodation through the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action (IDEAA).

Any employee, student or visitor who fails to abide by these guidelines may be asked or directed to leave the campus space. Employees and students who are directed to leave a campus space for failure to comply with these guidelines may be taken off duty and/or subject to disciplinary action.

New Pedestrian Access to GUMC: Update

While the Georgetown Lombardi lobby remains closed to foot traffic, a pedestrian walkway connecting the Leavey Center and GUMC is expected to open this week. The walkway will be on the East-West Road to allow access to the medical center via the east side of the Research Building. When opened, we will post an announcement here.

Resources for Self Care

Ways to Help Support Our MedStar and Georgetown Colleagues

Research Continuity Guidance

All Georgetown researchers must work remotely with very limited exceptions (read the guidance here). All staff are expected to wear a face covering when pre-approved work activities on campus don’t permit proper physical distancing of at least 6 feet between staff members.

Access to GUMC buildings is limited to GOCard only. All buildings at Georgetown require a GOCard swipe to enter. (For assistance with GOCard issues, contact the GOCard office at 202-687-2700.)

Researchers requiring access to a Georgetown space — office, laboratory or otherwise — are permitted only with written decanal approval via this form. This form will remain active for the foreseeable future, as there may be status changes within your lab and/or with your colleagues. Requests for access should receive a response within 24 hours. 

View additional COVID-19 research specific information on the GU Biomedical Research website.

COVID-19 and Human Subjects Research Guidance and FAQs

In order to sustain our human subject research during the COVID-19 pandemic, guidelines have been issued jointly by the Medstar Health and Georgetown University for the benefit of investigators and associated staff in both institutions. View the guidelines here.

Dependent Care Reimbursement

Under exceptional circumstances due to the coronavirus, all full-time faculty (tenure line and full-time non-tenure line) who are teaching during this educational continuity period can use dependent care funds. These funds can now be used by faculty who have child care responsibilities, and are designed to help defray costs due to added child care needs resulting from school/daycare closures during the Georgetown spring semester.

Awards of $50 per day for days when providing online instruction with a cap of $500 per faculty member through the end of 2020 Spring term will be available. 

For information about reimbursement, please contact Mary Glasscock. 

A graphic illustrating social distancing using two bulldogs; text is indicated in image caption. QR code included links to Georgetown COVID-19 website.
Georgetown University #FlattenTheCurve
Social distancing means putting 6 feet of space between yourself and others.

Virtual Learning Environment Extended Through the End of the Semester

On March 16, the university moved all classroom instruction to virtual learning environments. All in-person, on-campus classroom instruction is suspended through the end of the semester. Read more here.

Faculty can find information about relevant instructional continuity technology, as well as training sessions, on the Instructional Continuity website.

Staff & AAP Impacts

The medical center is operating under a telework flexible environment. Resources for staff/AAP can be found here. View COVID-19 telework guidelines and procedures and telework technology recommendations.

Dahlgren Memorial Library Operating Status

DML offers many services online, including Ask a DML Librarian. In addition, DML’s COVID-19 page can help you keep current with the rapidly changing COVID-19 literature and guidelines

Travel Restrictions

University-sponsored and supported international and domestic air and train travel, including travel funded by a grant, foundation, company or another university, is suspended until further notice. Those with a compelling university-related reason for such travel should consult with the office of the Provost or campus executive vice president (for GUMC), senior vice president and chief operating officer (for staff of University Services), or the vice president and chief of staff (for direct reports to the president) to request an exception. Read more travel guidance here.

Event Restrictions

In-person events at GUMC are restricted until further notice. Those who feel a scheduled event should still take place in person should submit a request for a waiver via this Google Form. We will do our best to respond within 24 hours.

COVID-19 News from GUMC