Loyola University Maryland

Coronavirus Updates

Health and Safety

Loyola continues to lean on scientific knowledge and research in our approach to care for the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—in working to ensure a robust and successful 2022-23 academic year.

Testing before fall arrival: All undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to test at home prior to coming and inform Student Life if they will be delayed in their return to campus beyond their prescheduled move in time.

Students with COVID-19 Symptoms

Students who are not feeling well should call SHS for an appointment. Student Health Services offers appointments for testing 5 days a week for symptomatic students or students who have been named a close contact. Provider visits will also be available. If SHS is closed, students will continue to be instructed to go to urgent care, or contact the after-hours, on-call service.

Undergraduate and Graduate Students who test positive for COVID-19

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should report this information to the University immediately through the COVID Case Reporting Form. Once completed, students will receive information about next steps sent directly to their Loyola email account. Loyola will conduct contact tracing based on the information submitted through the COVID Case Reporting Form.

Vaccination Requirements

All students enrolled at Loyola University Maryland must be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, as defined by the CDC, and per University policy. All undergraduate students are also required to be vaccinated against the flu by Dec. 1 of each year, and proof must be submitted to the Loyola Student Health Portal. Graduate students are strongly encouraged to comply with the flu shot requirement, as well. Students requesting a vaccine exemption must complete the waiver request form located under the forms tab in the Loyola Student Health Portal.

Isolation/Quarantine

Residential students who test positive for COVID-19 will isolate in place or go home. Students who are isolating in place may wear an N95 mask to get food from the dining facilities and return immediately to their rooms. Students who are identified as close contacts or develop COVID-19 symptoms will follow CDC guidance for quarantine based on their vaccination status and work with Student Health Services to schedule exposure testing in the correct timeframe. The University's isolation and quarantine protocols are in line with the current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Residential Students Who Test Positive

Students who test positive must isolate in their bedroom for at least 5 days (the date of the positive test is day ZERO). Clearance from isolation will be coordinated between the student and Student Health Services directly. Currently, in order to leave isolation after 5 days, students must be fever-free for 24 hours without medication and have improved symptoms. For the continued health and safety of our community, students who remain symptomatic on day 5 will isolate further as decided with the guidance from SHS. ALL students who are released from isolation prior to day 10 after their positive test are required to always mask except while eating or sleeping.

Close Contacts

  • The CDC defines a close contact as someone who has been within 6 feet of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 for 15 minutes within a 24-hour period, whether masked or unmasked, indoors or outside. Loyola is following the CDC guidance for close contacts.
  • Close contacts who are vaccinated and boosted must wear a mask for 10 days and test on day 5; if you are a close contact and develop symptoms at any time in the 10 days following your exposure, you must get tested and stay home.
  • Close contacts who are vaccinated but not boosted (and who are eligible to be boosted) or those who have been granted a University exemption must stay home for 5 days, and test on day 5. If they test negative, they must continue to wear a mask in their living space for another 5 days.

Surveillance Testing

The University is not conducting surveillance testing.