The university has convened the Return Team, which comprises key representatives of every area within our campus. This group meets daily to build out scenarios for what campus life could look like over the next several months. Every member of this team is committed to devising and implementing return plans that maximize safety while ensuring that quality teaching, education and research can continue to take place.

Pennsylvania plans to proceed with returning to work cautiously. Broad reopenings or reopenings that are not structured around ongoing social distancing, universal masking, or other public health guidance would likely result in a spike of cases and new stay-at-home and closure orders.

The commonwealth is using a three-phase matrix to determine when counties and/or regions are ready to begin easing some restrictions on work, congregate settings, and social interactions. More information is available at governor.pa.gov.

Temple will follow the guidelines and restrictions put in place through local, state and federal governments. We will also continue to follow and comply with guidance issued by public health organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control.

An Academic Team, which will evaluate the impacts of various return scenarios on academic functions such as teaching and learning, clinical, student placements, enrollment, international.

An Operations Team, which will evaluate the impacts of various return scenarios on university operations such as housing, facilities, business services and emergency management.

A Student Life Team, which will evaluate the impacts of various return scenarios on student life functions including university housing, student engagement, student services, student programs and non-academic issues.

A Business Team, which will evaluate the impacts of various return scenarios on university business functions including human resources, information technology, facilities and purchasing.

A Research Team, which will evaluate the impacts of various return scenarios on the university’s research operations.

The scenarios under consideration envision a broad range of possibilities, from a slightly modified traditional semester, to a blend of smaller classes, continued online teaching and gatherings that are limited in size, or anticipate greater use of online options. Details of the four scenarios follow.

• Reasonably normal, which will allow for in-person learning and on-campus residence, but require students, faculty and staff to wear face coverings. Mass gatherings will not be allowed and large lecture-style classes will be reduced. Recreational facilities will be available with extra cleaning. NCAA activities will resume. 
• Restricted semester, which allows for some in-person learning but limits gatherings to less than 25–50 people. Restrictions will be placed on housing and sports and recreation. Campus dining will provide take-out meals only. NCAA activities will resume with restrictions. 
• Essentials only, which allows for heavily restricted in-person instruction and housing. Gatherings will be limited to fewer than 25 people. No sports and recreation will be allowed. Campus dining will provide take-out meals only. NCAA activities will remain suspended. 
• Comprehensive remote, which minimizes in-person learning by restricting gatherings to 10 or fewer people. Essential employees will return or remain on campus. Research operations will be prioritized. Student, faculty and staff support measures will be enhanced for remote learning and working environments.

The university remains committed to carefully monitoring and responding to new information about COVID-19 and its impacts. In developing the four return scenarios, it is understood that our plans must be flexible and include contingencies for changing conditions over time. We are prepared to deviate from outlined plans in order to take swift actions to keep our community safe.

In accordance with CDC guidance, all individuals on campus will be expected to wear face coverings when in campus buildings and public areas, especially those in which it is difficult to adhere to social distancing practices. Read CDC guidelines on face coverings and learn how to make your own.

Social distancing, or physical distancing from others outside of your household, is an important measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in public places. Social distancing means avoiding gathering in large groups, staying out of crowded areas, and leaving at least six feet of space between yourself and anyone who lives outside your household when in public. Upon the return to campus, social distancing policies and guidelines will be implemented inside campus buildings to ensure everyone’s health.

Thorough hand washing is one of the most important steps everyone can take to prevent the spread of coronavirus and other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu. You should wash your hands often, using soap and water, for at least 20 seconds (about the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice). In the absence of soap and water, you should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. Read these CDC guidelines for hand-washing and sanitizing best practices.

Everyone has an important role to play in preventing the spread of the coronavirus and other respiratory illnesses. There are many simple steps everyone can take to keep themselves and others healthy. These include:

• frequently washing your hands using soap and water for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice);
• using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol in the absence of soap and water;
• wearing a face covering over your nose and mouth when in public places where it is difficult to maintain social distancing from others (read tips on face coverings from the CDC here);
• adhering to social distancing guidelines by staying at least six feet away from others in public places and avoiding large gatherings;
• avoiding touching your face, especially before washing your hands;
• regularly cleaning and disinfecting “high-touch” items (e.g. cell phones) and areas in your home (e.g. bathrooms, doorknobs);
• staying home and contacting your healthcare provider if you develop symptoms of illness, especially cough, shortness of breath, fever, severe fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, loss of sense of taste or smell, or muscle aches; and
• following directives issued by the CDC as well as local and state government and health authorities.

COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, is mainly spread between people when they are in close contact, or within six feet of each other. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets that are produced when a person who is infected coughs, sneezes or talks, and those droplets are inhaled by someone else. Some people infected with COVID-19 do not display any symptoms but can still spread the virus.

If you are sick—especially with symptoms of cough, difficulty breathing, fever or chills, sore throat, shortness of breath, or loss of taste or smell—contact your healthcare provider, Student Health Services (215-204-7500) or Employee Health Services (215-204-2679). Be sure to tell them your symptoms and inform if you believe you may have been in contact with someone with COVID-19. They can further screen you for COVID-19 and, if needed, help you get tested and recommend the next steps you should take.

The CDC advises that face coverings should be worn in public places where it is difficult to maintain other social distancing measures, such as in the grocery store. Face coverings should fit snugly over the nose and mouth. Read CDC instructions on how to make a cloth face covering.

Social distancing means maintaining a safe physical distance from people not in your immediate household. Because the coronavirus spreads from person to person in close contact settings, keeping at least six feet of distance from others reduces the likelihood of transmission of the virus from person to person. Social distancing also means avoiding gathering in groups and staying out of crowded places.

You should wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds (about the length of singing the “Happy Birthday” song twice). Consult this CDC page for more specific guidance on proper handwashing and hand sanitizing techniques.

In line with orders given by the City of Philadelphia and Commonwealth Pennsylvania, all non-essential employees of Temple University have been instructed to work remotely until further notice. Resources for working remotely are available online through Information Technology Services

For students and faculty, online and alternative learning began Monday, March 16. The last day of in-person academic activity was Friday, March 13.

No. The last day of in-person classes was Friday, March 13. Courses resumed through online and alternative learning methods on Monday, March 16.

If you have extenuating circumstances and will need to stay in a residence hall, you should contact your resident director to discuss your circumstances.

Student workers should continue to discuss the situation with their supervisors. Some may be able to continue working on campus if they are willing and able to do so, others may be able to work remotely and some may not be able to work at all for the time being, depending on their positions. If your role as a student worker is ending and you would like to know about the possibility of employment in other areas, Student Affairs will be providing information to connect students with other opportunities to the extent that they exist.

Temple is providing ongoing updates to the university community via universitywide emails and regular updates to both this website and TUportal. Please refer to these resources first for any questions you may have.

The university has implemented a social distancing strategy to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and suspended in-person classes after March 13, 2020. Online instruction in all courses officially began on Monday, March 16 and will continue through the end of the semester.  During this time, all in-person events on U.S. campuses have also been suspended. The university administration is currently working on contingency plans for Commencement ceremonies scheduled to take place in May, and members of the university community will be notified should there be a need to make changes to the traditional ceremonies as they are scheduled.

All university-affiliated international travel for faculty, staff and students has been suspended through the end of the spring 2020 semester, unless expressly approved by the provost. University-affiliated domestic travel and personal travel, especially to areas in the U.S. experiencing sustained community transmission of COVID-19, are strongly discouraged. Any Temple faculty or employees who have upcoming plans for travel should consult with their supervisors.

As the COVID-19 situation evolved earlier this year, Temple issued its first memos regarding the suspension of university-affiliated travel to China on Jan. 30 and Feb. 3. On Feb. 28, the university issued a follow-up announcement to students, faculty and staff outlining steps taken at the university’s international campuses in Rome and Tokyo and advising on new travel restrictions related to South Korea. Additional updates continue to be communicated to the university community as needed, and they are available via the links above on this page and on Temple's news site.

University administrators and health officials are closely monitoring the outbreak, are in frequent contact with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and will continue to communicate any significant updates to the university community. Travel advisories are also updated regularly on Temple’s website.

You don’t have to register personal travel with Temple if you work at a U.S. campus, but personal travel to areas heavily affected by sustained community transmission of COVID-19 is strongly discouraged. TUJ faculty and staff have a different requirement. See the TUJ FAQ.

For your own safety, you should stay up to date on the travel guidelines of reputable international and federal agencies and current federal quarantines. See the CDC’s latest travel notices and the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisories. The World Health Organization also has information and advice about traveling during the COVID-19 epidemic on its website.

You should also stay up to date on the university’s travel restrictions related to COVID-19.

Anyone who has traveled to countries designated by the CDC as being sites of sustained community transmission of COVID-19 (often countries under a Level 2 or Level 3 Travel Health Notice from the CDC) must self-monitor for 14 days from the date of their arrival back into the United States. Self-monitoring means staying home and avoiding gatherings and public spaces, including Temple’s campuses. If you have traveled to any countries indicated by the CDC as having sustained community spread of COVID-19 in the past 14 days, you should immediately contact Student Health Services or Employee Health Services to notify them of your travel, you should not come to any of Temple’s U.S. campuses until you have completed your 14-day self-monitoring period.

Most importantly, if you develop a fever, cough or have difficulty breathing, you should immediately contact health care professionals—your family physician, local health authorities, or Student or Employee Health. You should call before visiting any health care provider so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

Please note that this situation continues to evolve globally, so you should stay up-to-date on the CDC’s travel notices and on the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisories if you have plans to travel. 

If you have not traveled to any of these countries within the past two weeks or been in close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19, your risk of contracting the virus is low. 

The university discourages domestic travel to regions with human-to-human transmission in the community. Faculty and staff are also discouraged from attending large conferences at this time and encouraged to seek web-based or teleconferencing options as an alternative. Please check with your supervisor or department chair if you have work-related travel planned for any reason.

All common areas, particularly places that many people touch (such as doorknobs, elevator buttons and railings), are being cleaned with hospital-grade quaternary disinfectant A-456II, which is a product listed by the Environmental Protection Agency as protective against COVID-19. All bathrooms are cleaned and sanitized daily. 

A coronavirus is a type of virus that can cause a wide range of illnesses, from the common cold to severe pneumonia. The novel coronavirus (sometimes referred to as Wuhan coronavirus for the place where it was first detected) at the center of the current epidemic has been named SARS-CoV-2, and the illness it causes has been named COVID-19 (abbreviation for coronavirus disease 2019). This is a new strain of coronavirus.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. 

It is spread through direct contact with saliva or respiratory droplets, similar to a cold or the flu. According to the CDC, person-to-person spread of this coronavirus is most likely to occur with close contact, or contact within six feet, with an infected person who coughs or sneezes.

On March 14, Temple reported the first case of COVID-19 in anyone affiliated with the university. The case involved a student who traveled to Spain during spring break and left campus on Wednesday, March 11, to self-isolate at home in the Philadelphia suburbs. Health officials are contacting anyone who was in close contact with the student.

Philadelphia officials continue to announce more confirmed cases in the city. 

There is currently no medication to treat or prevent coronavirus. Like many viruses, steps may be taken to manage symptoms caused by coronavirus. Those who have become severely ill with the novel coronavirus have been hospitalized to receive care.

The novel coronavirus causing the current outbreak of illness has been officially named since the outbreak began. SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the virus itself, while COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is the name of the illness the virus causes. 

Self-monitoring means staying at home and avoiding group gatherings and public places. During this time, individuals should also monitor their health carefully, checking their temperature at least once a day. Learn more about what it means to self-monitor.

Quarantine is separating people who appear to be healthy but may have been exposed to a contagious illness to make sure that they do not become sick and spread the illness to others. It typically covers the “incubation period” of a given illness, which refers to the period of time between exposure and when symptoms of the illness are known to appear.

Isolation means keeping people who are sick and contagious separated from people who are healthy to ensure that they do not spread the illness.

All American citizens and lawful permanent residents traveling to the United States from China are being directed to one of 11 airports where health screenings are being conducted by CDC staff. Those who have returned from China (regions other than Hubei Province, where the outbreak is centered) who have not shown any symptoms of illness are monitored for 14 days, at which point they are cleared if they do not develop any symptoms. Travelers from China who are allowed on to their final destinations after screenings are advised to limit contact with people for two weeks. 

The incubation period—or period between virus exposure and symptom development—for the novel coronavirus is estimated at two to 14 days, with the majority of symptoms developing within about a week of exposure, according to the CDC. So, for example, if someone traveled from China in early- to mid-January and has not gotten sick, they are highly unlikely to have the COVID-19.

The CDC has also issued travel guidelines for South Korea, Italy and other countries that have experienced significant outbreaks of the virus. See all of the CDC’s COVID-19 travel advisories.

It is also possible that additional screening could take place for travelers returning from other areas that have been heavily affected by outbreaks of the virus.

Surgical masks may help reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses when worn by people who are sick, as they limit the spread of large airborne particles from coughing or sneezing. According to the CDC, if you are not sick, you will not be protected from illness by wearing a mask. You should wear a mask only if a healthcare provider instructs you to do so.

A respirator (an N95, for example) is worn by healthcare personnel in close contact with people who are sick, because respirators, when properly worn, effectively filter small airborne particles that can cause disease. N95 respirators must be fit-tested for each individual in order to be effective. If you have more questions, this infographic from the CDC may help.

More information is available in this Q&A with a Temple University Hospital infectious disease physician and a faculty member from the College of Public Health who specializes in epidemiology. For additional information, visit the CDC’s COVID-19 page and the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 site. 

Temple students and employees are encouraged to call Temple Student (215-204-7500) and Employee Health (215-204-2679) Services with additional questions or comments.