News & Stories

COVID-19 Information and Updates

Posted Mar 04 2020

As a uniquely international community, SIPA is paying close attention to the multinational spread of the virus and to the advice of responsible authorities with respect to precautionary measures. Please refer to this page for updates specific to SIPA as well as announcements and helpful resources.

SIPA Response

Updates from the Dean

March 13, 2020



Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I write to provide further updates on SIPA’s response to COVID-19 and to thank you for your cooperation, patience and courage during this challenging period.

As we learned in President Bollinger’s message yesterday, all classes will now be conducted online for the remainder of the semester. All Columbia-related business travel, both international and domestic, has been suspended. The University is also strongly recommending the cancellation or postponement of all non-essential events of more than 25 individuals, until at least April 30th. At the same time, the University remains open and functioning.

Our primary focus at this time is ensuring the health and safety of our community while continuing our vital educational mission. I am proud of the extraordinary efforts that converted more than 250 SIPA courses to online learning earlier this week, thanks to the tireless dedication of administrators and faculty.

Going forward, we will endeavor to provide the highest quality of online learning possible by sharing best practices and resources. We are also thinking creatively about steps that we can take to keep our faculty and students engaged with each other and the world. Please feel free to share ideas with me or Vice Dean Scott Barrett or Associate Dean Dan McIntyre.

This is a period of anxiety and uncertainty. I particularly want to recognize the extraordinary response from our students. We appreciate your flexibility as we have transitioned to online learning and your openness to participating in our newly established virtual community.

Because our campus remains open, we are working closely with SIPA staff to initiate a pilot program to learn more about our capacity for mixed on-site and remote work, should this become necessary. We are committed to implementing this program in a way that maintains the health and well-being of our community and the continuity of our student and administrative services.

With spring break upon us, I urge you to continue to monitor your email for updates about changes with respect to University and SIPA actions and recommendations The University’s COVID-19 site provides a central repository of information, where updates are posted as developments unfold. SIPA’s counterpart site can be found here.

We know there are still many questions to answer. We will make every effort to communicate with you expeditiously as plans go forward.

I hope the week ahead is both restful and safe. We are here for you.



Sincerely yours,

Merit E. Janow

Dean, School of International and Public Affairs

Professor of Practice, International Economic Law & International Affairs

March 6, 2020

Dear SIPA Community,

I am writing to provide an update regarding SIPA's efforts to plan for possible adjustments to ordinary operations due to the COVID-19 outbreak. I also wish to thank you for your help and patience with preparations as we move forward.

As you know, I have established a COVID-19 Planning Group at SIPA (see membership, below). The Planning Group already has met several times. I will outline here a few of the initiatives underway, and provide periodic updates going forward as appropriate:

1. Preparing for the possibility of moving all SIPA courses online. It is possible the University will adopt remote education protocols depending on developments. SIPA is preparing to be ready to implement online education as soon as necessary, although we hope circumstances will not require this. The Office of Academic Affairs and Office of Information Technology are leading this effort and have begun communicating with faculty teaching this semester about the adjustments necessary to maintain the quality of our courses. Additional communications to students will be forthcoming.

2. Preparing for the continuation of student services and advising in the event of a disruption in classroom instruction. Administrative units with significant student service responsibilities, including all advising deans and assigned academic advisors, are preparing for a conversion to online and telephone support in the event of a disruption in classroom instruction or campus operations.

3. Preparing for possible work arrangements and staffing adjustments in the event of a change in Columbia University/SIPA operations due to COVID-19. SIPA will follow University policy in this event. We currently are considering a range of scenarios, from sustaining full staffing if circumstances permit, to reduced staffing with some staff telecommuting, to implementing remote work protocols in the event of a campus closure. In all scenarios, we are planning for the continuation of services. We are consulting with unit directors and managers of each administrative unit with respect to planning for various contingencies.

4. Preparing for adjustments in event management. We are proceeding with caution with regard to event management, rescheduling, or exploring virtual attendance options if feasible, but otherwise proceeding with events as planned consistent with travel requirements that may apply to international attendees and public health guidance applicable to all public gatherings. Given the changing nature of responses to COVID-19, new and different event guidelines and regulations are possible in response to developments. Until further notice, student organizations have been encouraged by the Office of Student Affairs to submit event requests for approval that the student leaders believe in good faith to be essential or critical to their mission and to postpone or cancel other gatherings.

5. Communications updates. A dedicated component of SIPA's web site will report developments at the University and SIPA in light of COVID-19 and provide regular updates.

6. Facilities. We are working with University Facilities about adjustments to cleaning and sanitizing protocols appropriate in light of COVID-19. We are using our best efforts to maintain sanitizing stations throughout SIPA facilities in light of product shortages.

The situation obviously is fluid. We will be providing updates as circumstances and developments warrant. Thank you, again, for your patience and help with these efforts.



Sincerely yours,

Merit E. Janow

Dean, School of International and Public Affairs

Professor of Practice, International Economic Law and International Affairs

COVID-19 Planning Group

Colleen Toomey, Dan McIntyre, Patrick Bohan, Milena Cerna, Cory Way, Diya Bhattacharya, Harpreet Mahajan, Hande Mutlu-Eren, Andrew Johnson, Ted Stiffel

 

March 4, 2020

Dear SIPA Community,

I am writing to share some information about how SIPA is responding to the worldwide COVID-19 epidemic. SIPA is paying close attention to the multinational spread of the virus and to the advice of responsible authorities with respect to precautionary measures.

Currently, there are no known cases of COVID-19 among Columbia and SIPA students, faculty, and staff, and the University’s core campus continues to operate normally.

As you know, however, the Provost’s Office yesterday announced that effective immediately:

  • All University-sponsored international travel by students is suspended until further notice. This affects all SIPA-sponsored travel by students, including capstones, workshops, internships, and independently arranged travel in conjunction with academic requirements.
  • All University-sponsored faculty and staff travel to Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Iran, and Italy remains suspended until further notice. Additionally, the Provost’s Office strongly urges all faculty and staff to postpone all non-essential University-sponsored international travel.

Even with respect to personal travel, the University is asking all CU travelers to register international travel through the University’s ISOS travel portal. Please contact Senior Assistant Dean Stefan Brown ([email protected]) in the Office of Student Affairs if you have questions about registering your travel.

CU Health has issued guidance about the precautions each of us should take in our day-to-day activities. These include regular hand washing, staying home if we feel ill, and remaining alert for symptoms of COVID-19. The University’s Preparedness website provides this and related information.

If you are organizing an academic event or program involving guests who have traveled recently in restricted areas or been exposed to COVID-19, please know that the guests must comply with the same protocols applicable to CU travelers (e.g., travelers who have been in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Italy, Iran, Japan, and South Korea in the past 14 days must fill out a secure and confidential registration form and follow the guidance provided). The University will be issuing further guidance later today regarding social events.

I have asked Colleen Toomey, SIPA’s senior associate dean, to help coordinate the School’s planning and response to COVID-19-related issues, which will include managing a small internal working group of SIPA administrators. Further guidance as appropriate will be forthcoming.

I want to convey how appreciative I am of the supportive way in which our community has responded to the COVID-19 outbreak. I know that this is how we will continue to contend with COVID-19 and any other challenges that come our way.



Sincerely yours,



Merit E. Janow

Dean, School of International and Public Affairs

Professor of Practice, International Economic Law and International Affairs

Campus Events

March 8: Update on campus events and COVID-19

Dear Columbia community,

In an abundance of caution, the University has now updated our events policy to strongly discourage non-essential events of more than 25 people on all of our campuses in light of rapidly changing information about COVID-19. Presently, classes are continuing to meet. The University continues to monitor the situation closely and will update you if changes become necessary.

Campus fitness facilities will remain open for individual use, though group fitness classes will not take place, and there will be increased cleaning of equipment and locker rooms.

The University’s COVID-19 website also includes links to New York State's decision to declare a state of emergency, recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates, campus resources and additional information.

 

Sincerely,



Suzanne B. Goldberg

Executive Vice President for University Life

Herbert and Doris Wechsler Clinical Professor of Law



David M. Greenberg

Executive Vice President

University Facilities and Operations

March 5: Campus Events and COVID-19 (Morningside and Manhattanville)



Dear Colleagues,



We write to share an update about campus events as part of Columbia’s ongoing response to COVID-19. At this time, events for Columbia faculty, students and staff on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses can continue as planned or be postponed at the event host’s discretion. Because this is a rapidly changing situation, it is possible that guidance from federal, state and local health authorities will shift and events will need to be postponed or offered virtually, so please keep this in mind in your planning.



If you do plan to host an event this month, we ask that you follow public health recommendations for group settings and encourage attendees to do the same. These include basic reminders about avoiding shaking hands or sharing food or beverages, sneezing and coughing into one’s elbow, and more detailed recommendations listed on Columbia’s new COVID-19 website, which provides guidance for the Columbia community. If you plan to host an event for non-affiliates or alumni, please also check the COVID-19 website for guidance.



If you choose to postpone or cancel an event that has been scheduled with University Event Management, please notify UEM directly by visiting their website or writing to [email protected]. UEM will not charge for space or timely catering cancellations.



We are grateful for your understanding and patience as we continue to develop and revise policies, with the health, safety and well-being of everyone at Columbia as our top priority.



Sincerely,



Suzanne B. Goldberg

Executive Vice President for University Life

Herbert and Doris Wechsler Clinical Professor of Law



David M. Greenberg

Executive Vice President

University Facilities and Operations

Travel

March 5: Additional travel guidance

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

On Monday, I wrote to ask the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE) to contact our students on study abroad programs to begin the process of determining options for a safe and orderly return home. I am writing now with more detail, based on advice from Columbia’s public health experts, to explain how this policy will be implemented. The University’s approach, of course, may need to be revised as events concerning COVID-19 develop. Our first concern is safety. Hence, the following distinctions apply not only to UGE programs but to the wider Columbia community.

Students in countries designated as CDC COVID-19 Risk Levels 1, 2 or 3, who have not yet returned to their permanent residence (or a safer location, if they are not able to go home), should do so as soon as safely possible. This set of locations currently includes China, Iran, Italy, Japan, and South Korea. As more countries are added to these designations by the CDC, this requirement will apply to students there as well.

Students on study abroad programs in countries with evidence of increasing community spread, marked by a rising number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases, should seriously consider returning home given the potential for a more severe outbreak. We are also concerned that it might later be difficult to return home. Current examples include France, Germany, Spain, and Singapore.

Where there is currently no evidence of significant community spread, an evaluation will be made with each student, based on the program requirements and end dates, concerning the potential to remain in place to complete the semester.

As the situation develops, the University will be reviewing this guidance and will promptly communicate any changes.



Sincerely,

Ira Katznelson

Interim Provost

Ruggles Professor of Political Science and History

March 3: Spring Recess and Beyond

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

At this time of year, my predecessors traditionally have issued a message noting that during spring break many will be traveling abroad for research, teaching, and learning. Unfortunately, this year is different. In the context of the international reach of COVID-19, there is no choice but to outline restrictions on travel imposed by the spread of the virus. Further, as U.S. travel regulations for citizens of certain countries recently have been expanded, I must describe these as well.  

All Columbia affiliates are strongly urged to postpone any non-essential international travel. For students, all upcoming travel outside the United States organized, led, or financed by Columbia is suspended until further notice. 

Further, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued guidance that institutes of higher education should “consider postponing or canceling student foreign exchange programs.” This advice is motivated in part by an awareness that, in the near future, “students may face unpredictable circumstances, travel restrictions, challenges in returning home or accessing health care while abroad.” Sharing that concern, I have asked the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement to contact our students on study abroad programs and begin the process of determining the options for a safe and orderly return home.

As you know, the University has restricted all Columbia Travel to China, South Korea, and now Iran and Italy until further notice in light of the CDC’s Level 3 Travel Warning. Please contact [email protected] if you believe your trip warrants exemption from these restrictions. The CDC also has issued an Alert Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions for Japan.

Persons who still must travel overseas should make every effort to stay up to date regarding often fast-changing governmental regulations, including Executive Orders and guidance issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of State, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Visa and entry restrictions have been placed on Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, and Tanzania in addition to Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.

Please be assured that active oversight and planning take place every day by a policy task force that consults closely with members of our University faculty who are leading research virologists and epidemiologists. Based on their expert guidance, as well as that of the CDC and the New York City and New York State health departments, the University’s core campuses continue to operate normally. 

Current circumstances manifestly are uncertain, just the kind of situation that can generate deep anxiety. It is important that all of us modulate our responses to be consistent with the facts and the best information on hand.

I close with appreciation for the professionalism and thoughtful calm that characterize how our community is grappling with difficult current pressures.



Sincerely,

Ira Katznelson

Interim Provost

Ruggles Professor of Political Science and History

Additional Resources:

Columbia University Community

March 18: COVID-19 Health Advisory

Dear Fellow Members of the Columbia Community, 

As COVID-19 continues to spread around the globe, we write to reiterate that there is now widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in New York City. This means that COVID-19 is actively circulating in the community. Thus, the New York City Department of Health is no longer conducting contact tracing, is limiting testing for more serious cases and those needing hospitalization, and is focused on efforts to reduce community transmission. We continue to see a small but growing number of cases of COVID-19 in our affiliates and expect these numbers to increase.  

As such, everyone must assume they have been exposed and act accordingly. Please take these crucial measures to keep the virus from spreading further: 

  • Stay home if you are sick. 
  • If you are not feeling sick, stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing. 
  • Practice essential prevention hygiene: frequent handwashing, coughing/sneezing into your elbow; sanitizing high-touch surfaces; avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands; waving/elbow bumping instead of shaking hands; do not share food or drink. 
  • Maintain at least 6 feet from others, when possible. 

Older adults or those who have other serious chronic health conditions, including chronic lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer or a weakened immune system, are especially at risk for severe illness and must stay home as much as possible to avoid exposure. 



If you have symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat), stay home. If your symptoms are mild, you do not need to seek medical care. If you are a member of a higher risk group or your symptoms are severe, such as difficulty breathing, contact your primary care provider (PCP) or go to the emergency room (many request that you call first).  Columbia students, please reach out to your campus medical service:Morningside (212-854-7426) or CUIMC (212-305-3400). Faculty and staff should reach out to your primary care provider.  If your symptoms do not go away after 3 or 4 days, contact your PCP. In about 80% of cases, symptoms resolve by themselves with supportive care (including rest, fluids, and taking fever reducing medications such as Tylenol). Stay at home for at least 7 days after your symptoms first start, and at least three days after you no longer have a fever (without the need to use fever-reducing medications). 

If you were in contact with someone who is a confirmed case/is waiting for confirmation/recently traveled from a CDC Level 3 area: self-monitor for COVID-19-like illness (see symptoms above) for 14 days from the date of last contact with the ill person. If you are concerned, please call Columbia’s COVID-19 hotline at 212-854-9355 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or your primary care provider. Please use this guide to understand your level of exposure and the appropriate action.   



We understand that this new guidance will engender numerous questions and concerns. We ask you to visit the Preparedness FAQs which addresses a majority of concerns we have heard. If you have questions about your health, please call 212-854-9355. If you are a student and need support, please consider using our online coping tools and reaching out to your friends, family and student affairs staff in your school.  If you have an urgent concern about your well-being or the well-being of a friend, contact Counseling and Psychological Services at 212-854-2878 (Morningside) and Mental Health Services at 212-305-3400 (CUIMC).



In sum, the best way to take care of ourselves and our community is to stay home and practice social distancing. Stay up to date by visiting columbia.edu/coronavirus.  



With care for our community, 



Melanie Bernitz, MD, MPH  

Associate Vice President and Medical Director, Columbia Health  

Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine (in the Center for Family and Community Medicine) 

 

March 15: University Libraries

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community,

Many difficult decisions have had to be determined during these pressured days. One of the most painful is the judgment required by our public health circumstances to close our libraries until further notice. That step has been taken in the interest of safety for students, faculty, and staff, especially the dedicated personnel led by Ann Thornton who make our libraries such vibrant sites of learning at the center of the University’s intellectual and physical existence.

The instructive information below, prepared by the Libraries, serves as a useful guide. We are fortunate that millions of items—journals, books, data sets, archival materials, and more—can be accessed online. Our Library resources also include expert librarians who are accessible by phone, email, chat, and Zoom. But there is no softening of the blow.

During this period of disruption, colleagues at the University are working diligently, indeed tirelessly, to support teaching, scholarship, and research for however long current interruptions to ordinary life continue.

 

With best wishes,

Ira Katznelson

Interim Provost

Ruggles Professor of Political Science and History

Hours of Operation

Starting Monday, March 16, all library locations will be closed until further notice. The Libraries Alerts page will remain updated to reflect changes across all library locations. No visitors, including researchers with previously scheduled appointments, will be permitted to enter any library location.

Library Materials

Due to current constraints of library resources and closure of partner institutions, we cannot fulfill requests for Interlibrary Loan, Borrow Direct, and materials held off site at ReCAP until further notice. Starting Monday, March 16, please do not return library materials until further notice. This includes mailing items to campus. If your materials are due, please renew using My Account in CLIO. No fines will be charged for overdue or recalled items until further notice. If you encounter full book bins on campus, please do not leave items on top or around the bins.

Online Research & Teaching Support

We will continue to offer a multitude of resources to support online research and teaching following the University's announcement that all classes for the remainder of the semester will be conducted online. Please visit this page for an overview of these resources.

March 15: Update on COVID-19

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

Over the past week, I have sent messages setting forth our efforts to grapple with the health risks of COVID-19 while doing our best to keep the University functioning. Each one has asked for increasing levels of change in our operations in response to rising risks. Today is yet another. Two significant events have happened in the last 24 hours. The first involves the increased number of people in the surrounding region infected with the virus and, most immediately, the discovery that one of the members of our community has been infected. The second change is the announcement that the federal government is entertaining the prospect of imposing restrictions on domestic travel. Both of these now require us to take the following steps, and I ask everyone to help with implementing them.  

We must significantly reduce the number of students in our residence halls. Any student who can leave must leave, by Tuesday, March 17. Some students will not be able to leave, and for us to care for them, in every sense, we need the space to do so. It is, therefore, a responsibility of those who can go home to do so. We recognize this is for almost everyone a major sacrifice, and we are prepared to, and are preparing ourselves to, help in every way we can.  

We must take steps to reduce our research activities to those that are “essential”—at this point a necessarily vague standard, but one that at least points us in a direction we must go and that can be implemented with careful thought and particularity by our respective deans and chairs.  

At the Medical Center, we must continue to reduce the number of students in our dormitory, identify what research can be done remotely, and take other steps to suspend student clerkships and rotations. Here, especially, our efforts must be to aggregate our medical capacity to serve the patient needs likely to arise from the spread of the virus.  

Lastly, we need to close various non-academic areas that bring people together in large groups, such as the gymnasium and our Chapel.  

All of these actions will lead us to become an even more virtual community for the time being. As such, Columbia will remain our point of connection in teaching, research, and action, as well as emotionally. This is a time for everyone to help each other out as much as possible. As always, this communication will be followed by others with more details. I am sorry to convey these messages and actions.

Sincerely, 

Lee C. Bollinger

March 13: Update on COVID-19

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

I am writing, again, with two quick but important updates to the message I sent yesterday. Please understand that we are continually reassessing our position by the hour, as new information comes in and our judgments evolve. We are, of course, in close contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and with our state and city officials, as well as local experts.  

 

The first is to express our support for all students who are able to continue to leave the residence halls at our request and pursue their studies remotely for the remainder of the semester. This is important for the goal of reducing our residential population to a degree that will lower the risk of transmission of the virus. We realize that modifying travel arrangements and moving belongings out quickly may impose financial costs that present a hardship for some students, and, to help ameliorate and expedite departures, we will provide up to $500 to any undergraduate who needs help in this regard.  

 

The second is to say that, as of Monday, March 16, we are asking only designated personnel who are required to perform essential functions to report to work on-site. All other employees are asked to report to work virtually according to procedures that are being announced and coordinated by your home departments and schools. Our goal, as with our residential facilities, is to reduce the population on campus and to scale back as much as possible in order to keep people safe while maintaining the mission of the University.  

 

I want to close this message today with a very special note of thanks to all those who will continue to perform essential functions on-site and to the doctors, nurses, technicians, aides, and all support staff at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and all their colleagues at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, who are serving on the front line of this crisis. They deserve our deepest gratitude.  

 

Sincerely, 

Lee C. Bollinger

March 12: Update on COVID-19

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community: 

As promised, I am writing with an update on how the University needs to respond to the outbreak of COVID-19. We all know this is a rapidly evolving and very challenging situation. Yesterday afternoon, the World Health Organization officially declared this to be a pandemic. Thus far, we continue to have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our campuses. Just to be clear, the principle that has guided us up to this point is to maintain the mission of the University as much as possible consistent with preserving the health of every part of our community. To that end, as of yesterday, we launched nearly 2,000 classes online and continue to prepare to teach classes virtually for the remainder of the semester. 

In light of the spread of the virus, especially in the New York metropolitan region, we now need to take further steps. Specifically, in order to reduce the density of our residential environment, while respecting the interests and needs of students who have reason to continue to remain in residence on campus, we are instituting three critical decisions: (1) The University will remain open and functioning; (2) All classes for the remainder of the semester will be conducted online; and (3) We encourage any students who are able to move out of undergraduate residence halls for the rest of the semester to do so, and we are ready to help in that process. The Office of University Life and your school will follow up with more information.

It is worth repeating that our campuses will remain open. However, we have restrictions in place for those who have traveled to severely affected areas, as per guidance from the CDC. We will, as indicated previously, actively discourage congregations in large numbers. We also strongly discourage holding any events with over 25 people, at least through April 30th. All Columbia business travel, both international and domestic, is now suspended for all affiliates.

This is a hard time for all of us. We are concerned about every student, colleague, friend, and neighbor. Clearly, balancing all of the interests of all parts of the institution is an extraordinarily complex undertaking. I am so grateful to all of you and especially to those who daily help us chart the right course for Columbia through this crisis.  

Sincerely,

Lee C. Bollinger

March 10: Update on COVID-19

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:



I am writing to update the community on the matters I raised in my message from Sunday night. I am very pleased to report that the person from our community who was exposed to the virus has been tested and the early results are negative. This is good news, indeed, but, out of an abundance of caution, the individual will remain in quarantine through the full 14-day period. 



Tomorrow, we will resume classes virtually. Your departments and instructors will be in touch with you directly with the details for individual classes. Virtual classes will continue through the week after Spring Break. This extended period will give the University time to understand if and how the virus is spreading and how we will need to adjust accordingly.



For the week following Spring Break, all of our campuses will be open and courses will resume virtually as scheduled. I will stay in touch with you about the remainder of the semester. I remain deeply grateful to everyone for being sensitive to the complexities of this difficult situation and for having a sense of determination to continue our work while taking care of each other.



Sincerely,



Lee C. Bollinger

March 8: Time Sensitive Update on COVID-19

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:



I am writing this evening to notify everyone that, because a member of our community has been quarantined as a result of exposure to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have decided to suspend classes on Monday and Tuesday. This suspension of activities will allow us to prepare to shift to remote classes for the remainder of the week. I want to emphasize that the individual who has been quarantined has not been diagnosed at this point with the virus. 



Please understand that the decision to suspend classes does not mean that the University is shutting down. All non-classroom activities, including research, will continue in accordance with the new travel and events restrictions announced recently. At this point, just to restate what is important to know, we do not have a confirmed case of the virus on campus. This action is intended to prevent the virus from spreading. 



This message will soon be followed by more specific information from deans and other University leaders, including plans for remote instruction beginning Wednesday and continuing until the start of Spring Break on Friday. 



Let me say how much we appreciate the efforts of everyone who is helping us work our way through this challenging situation and your understanding and attention. As always, we are especially committed to providing updates as we have more information and recommendations. 



Sincerely,



Lee C. Bollinger

March 6: COVID-19 Health Update

Dear fellow members of the Columbia Community,

I write to share an update from Columbia Health regarding COVID-19 and to reshare links with information about travel, events, and other resources. The University continues to closely monitor the changing COVID-19 situation in New York City and globally. University leadership, with guidance from medical and public health experts, has been meeting daily to provide guidance and develop adaptive policies across all areas of campus life to support the well-being of the Columbia community.

As of March 6, no Columbia student, faculty, or staff has been diagnosed with COVID-19. In New York State, there are 33 confirmed cases, including cases in New York City, some of whom are receiving world-class care at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Over 4,000New Yorkers are currently being monitored with precautionary quarantine due to close contact with a known case of COVID-19 or having returned from an international area of high risk.

As we approach midterms season and Spring Recess, remember that essential hygiene measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control are the most effective means of prevention. These are steps you may take whether on or off-campus:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Stay home when you are sick
  • Cough or sneeze into the bend of your arm/elbow, or cough into a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash immediately
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

To stay up-to-date with Columbia's ongoing response to COVID-19, please visit this newly created site, where you can sign-up for emergency notifications, find information on campus activities, see the latest travel guidance, find links to Columbia Preparedness, and medical support options. In the meantime, a hotline to address your COVID-19 questions will be available from 9am to 5pm Monday-Friday starting March 9. It can be reached at 212-854-9355.

Thank you for your collective commitment to the health and well-being of our community.

With care for our community,

Melanie Bernitz, MD, MPH

Associate Vice President and Medical Director, Columbia Health

Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine (in the Center for Family and Community Medicine)

February 27: COVID-19 Health Advisory Message

Dear fellow members of the Columbia Community:

Your well-being remains a top priority for Columbia University, and we continue to actively monitor the outbreak of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). On February 25, 2020, you received an update on the situation from Provost Katznelson and Dean Goldman, with enhanced University travel restrictions.

In order to provide you with individualized assistance, instructions, and recommendations, Columbia University requests that all affiliates currently in, have returned from, or transited through China (including Hong Kong), Italy, Iran, Japan, and South Korea in the past 14 days, or have had direct close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19, fill out a secure and confidential registration form.

As a reminder, symptoms of COVID-19 include fever and symptoms of lower respiratory illness such as cough and difficulty breathing. These symptoms may be similar to the flu or the common cold. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia and other complications, especially in infants, older individuals, and those with underlying health conditions. We are seeing many cases of influenza and other common respiratory illnesses in our students, faculty and staff. Please remember the steps we take every day to help prevent any respiratory illness: 

  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home if you are feeling sick.

If you have traveled recently or have been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 and are experiencing the above symptoms please seek medical attention right away. Before you got to the doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and let them know of your recent travel and symptoms. Wear a mask if you need to leave your home when you are sick.

  • Columbia students, please reach out to your campus medical service: Morningside (212-854-7426) or CUIMC (212-305-3400).
  • Faculty and staff, please reach out to your primary care provider.

Currently, there are no cases in New York or among Columbia affiliates and we have made no changes to classes, activities, operations and events on our campuses. We have published updated FAQs on the Columbia Preparedness site and will continue to provide updates via the site as new information becomes available.

Please use these additional resources for more information:



With care for our community,

Melanie Bernitz, MD, MPH

Associate Vice President & Medical Director, Columbia Health

Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine (in the Center for Family and Community Medicine)

February 25: Update on COVID-19

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

The University continues to follow information and expert national and international recommendations regarding the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The virus has spread to Iran, Italy, Japan, and South Korea, among other places. To date, there are no known cases in the New York area and no known cases involving our students, faculty, staff, or affiliates. Presently, the immediate health risk to members of the Columbia community is considered low. However, the potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 globally is high, so this risk assessment to our community may change. We must be prudently cautious, and we will continue assess our community's situation. We will keep you informed should the current level of concern alter.

Following the recommendations of local, state, and national health authorities to make sure we are undertaking evidence-informed procedures, the University has not made changes to classes, activities, operations, and events on our New York campuses. Please be assured, however, that planning is underway for potential effects to the remainder of the semester, Spring Recess, and Summer Session.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Warning (the highest level of warning), urging all U.S. residents to avoid nonessential travel to South Korea. As a result, the University is now restricting student, faculty, and staff travel to South Korea until further notice. Using the same framework as that in place for China, any Columbia employee, faculty, or staff who wishes to travel to South Korea for a compelling University-related reason must submit a written request to the appropriate dean. On approval by the dean, the request must then be sent to the Provost for review and final approval. Because of various associated travel restrictions, any such request must include confirmation of an evacuation plan. In addition, travelers will be required to comply with appropriate safety precautions and protocols as recommended by the CDC and other authorities.

The CDC has also issued Alert Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions for Iran, Italy, and Japan. The CDC says that, “these destinations are experiencing sustained community transmission… Older adults and those with chronic medical conditions should consider postponing nonessential travel.” Columbia is closely following these alerts and will act if conditions change.

Columbia has published a series of FAQs around COVID-19 and will continue to update the website as needed. Please use these additional resources for more information:

Finally, we know that many in our community may have family or friends affected by this outbreak. We encourage anyone who needs support during this time to contact Columbia Health’s Counseling and Psychological Services, CUIMC’s Mental Health Services, or the Office of the University Chaplain.



Sincerely,

Ira Katznelson

Interim Provost

Ruggles Professor of Political Science and History

Lee Goldman

Harold and Margaret Hatch Professor

Executive Vice President and Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine

February 6: Health Advisory: Current Status on Coronavirus

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

The University continues to closely monitor information and expert national and international recommendations regarding the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) first detected in Wuhan, China. We write to share these updates.

Summary of developments as of 2/6/20 at 12pm

  • There are currently no confirmed cases of coronavirus in New York City.
  • Travel restrictions are in place.
    • Effective January 29, the University is restricting student, faculty, and staff travel to China.
    • The U.S. Department of state updated its China travel advisory to Level 4 – Do Not Travel.
    • The U.S. Health and Human Services announced it is "temporarily suspending the entry into the United States of foreign nationals who pose a risk of transmitting the 2019 novel coronavirus."
  • Self-monitoring and mandatory quarantines are in effect.
    • Effective February 2, any U.S. citizen who has been in Hubei Province in the previous 14 days will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine after returning to the United States.
    • U.S. citizens who have been in mainland China during the previous 14 days and are returning will undergo screening at their port of entry and will be subject to up to 14 days of self-monitoring.
    • Columbia University requests that all Columbia University affiliates currently in China or who have returned from mainland China within the past 14 days fill out a secure and confidential registration form so Columbia Health can provide you with assistance, instructions, and recommendations regarding self-isolation. If this applies to you and you have not already done so, we ask that you fill it out promptly.

Steps you can take to protect your health

  • Wash your hands frequently; avoid contact with sick people; avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose; get plenty of sleep; manage stress; clean high-touch surfaces with disinfectant wipes; and drink plenty of fluids.
  • Carry on with normal activities. If you are not currently experiencing symptoms and have not returned from China in the past 14 days, you should feel free to attend classes, go to planned events, and engage with life as usual.

Remember it is cold and flu season

Members of our community who have symptoms of fever, cough, and difficulty breathing who have not recently been in China are likely to have a cold or the flu. Please call 212-854-7426 for Morningside Medical Services or 212-304-3500 for CUIMC Medical Services or contact your primary care clinician.

Caring for our community

The health and well-being of our community is a group effort and we appreciate your engagement throughout this process. That well-being is strengthened by our continued support and respect for the dignity and humanity of each member.

If you or someone you know has experienced bias, please reach out to your Dean of Students. For questions or concerns regarding discrimination, please contact Student Conduct and Community Standards. If you are feeling anxious or are worried about friends and family because of the news about the coronavirus, we encourage you to contact our University resources. Students may contact Columbia Health’s Counseling and Psychological Services or CUIMC’s Mental Health Services. Employees may make use of our Employee Assistance Program.

The University would like to thank the global Columbia community for its rapid response to this outbreak and to supporting the wellbeing of our community, as well as the inquiries that help inform the content of the growing 2019 Novel CoronavirusFAQ on the University’s Preparedness site. We encourage you to read the information on this page as it addresses many of the community’s most common concerns. If you have a question that is not addressed in the FAQs, please reach out to Columbia Health.

We recognize that the full extent of this outbreak is yet to be revealed. Please be assured that the University is committed to monitoring these developments and providing timely, evidence-informed guidance to the community to keep all of us safe and healthy. We look forward to your partnership in the same.



In health,

Melanie Bernitz, MD, MPH

Associate Vice President and Medical Director, Columbia Health       

Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine (in the Center for Family and Community Medicine)