COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is a new respiratory virus that has the potential to cause severe illness and pneumonia in some people. It was identified in late 2019 and has spread around the world. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

UAMS guidelines for academic activities can be found below. This information is subject to change as processes and policies are updated. (Last updated September 8, 2023)

Click below for more information listed on this page

COVID Symptom Screener and Monitoring (Updated November 3, 2022)
Update to UAMS Mask Policy (Updated September 8, 2023)
COVID-19 Positive Test Steps for Students (Updated September 8, 2023)
Management of employees and students exposed to COVID-19, with confirmed COVID-19 or with symptoms of COVID-19 (Updated September 8, 2023)
COVID-19 Vaccinations (Updated September 8, 2023)
Uploading Vaccination Documentation to GUS (Added August 2, 2021)
COVID-19 Vaccinations and Clinical Sites (Added August 2, 2021)
CARES Act/CRRSAA/ARP (Updated August 11, 2023)
Additional Resources (Teaching Resources added August 19, 2020)

Health and Safety

COVID-19 is contagious. If you have fever, cough or shortness of breath, do not come to UAMS or any other doctor’s office, urgent care clinic or emergency room without first calling and getting instructions.

The best way to prevent the spread of the flu, COVID-19 and similar viruses is to:

  • Avoid close contact with sick people
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands
  • Stay home when you are sick
  • Cover all coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands
  • Cough and sneeze into your elbow instead of on your hand
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces with a household cleaning spray or wipe.

If you have specific questions about COVID-19 in Arkansas, contact the Arkansas Department of Health at 1-800-803-7847

Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout UAMS for frequent hand cleaning. Extra sanitizing procedures will be in place for classroom spaces.

Please make sure that you have a thermometer at home to self-monitor your temperature.

 

COVID Symptoms Screener and Monitoring

Employees and students are required to do the online screening only if they have symptoms such as, headache, runny nose,  fever, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, chills, sore throat, shortness of breath or have had close contact with an individual who has an active COVID-19 infection. The UAMS COVID Screening Survey can be accessed online. You will use your network credentials to access the survey.

If you are cleared to enter campus based on your survey responses, an email will be sent to your UAMS email account with that message, and you may come to campus.

If you are  not cleared to enter campus based on your survey responses, you will receive an email to your UAMS email account with a link to a Student and Employee Health Monitoring Survey and will be instructed to call the Student Employee Health Clinic (SEHS) at 501-686-6565. You will also need to notify the Associate/Assistant Dean in your college. You may not return to campus until cleared by SEHS, and you will have to complete the monitoring survey daily until cleared.

If you are cleared with conditions, you may come to campus. You will also receive an email to your UAMS email account with a link to a Student and Employee Health Monitoring Survey that you must complete as soon as possible.

If you are going to a location other than a UAMS site, you will follow those entry screen processes.

Regardless of site, at any time that a screening evaluation, contact tracing process, or awareness of COVID exposure occurs and a UAMS student needs to be evaluated and/or referred for COVID-19 testing, the student and/or Associate/Assistant Dean* must contact Student Employee Health Services (SEHS) to assist in determination of need and location for testing.  SEHS is reached at 501-686-6565 from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday or contact the on-call nurse at 501-398-8636 outside of clinic hours.  If SEHS is the source for notification of failed entry screening or contact tracing identification of exposure, they will assist with this information at the time of notification.

*listed below

Update to UAMS Mask Policy

(February 2023)

In the Hospital:

  • UAMS staff will continue to be masked going into all patient rooms or when around patients in these areas: NICU (5th Floor), ICU (4th Floor) and E7/F7/H7.
  • UAMS staff will continue to be masked with the appropriate healthcare mask when caring for patients who are on respiratory precautions, including Droplet and Airborne isolation.
  • Masking is optional in common areas such as breakrooms, workrooms and waiting areas where patients are not present.
  • Visitors do not have to be masked on the unit or in patient room UNLESS the patient they are visiting is on droplet or airborne precautions, in which case they should be masked.  Visitors who have fever, cough, or cold symptoms or have been diagnosed with COVID or Influenza or have been advised to quarantine should not visit until they are well and out of quarantine

In Outpatient areas:

  • Patients who are immunocompromised should wear a mask at all times
  • Staff interacting and/or providing direct care for immunocompromised patients should wear a mask in patient care areas
  • Patients who are not immunocompromised should wear a mask if they: Are sick or not feeling well; have a fever 100.4 or higher; are flu or COVID positive or have known exposure.
  • Patients should reschedule appointments if they are COVID positive or it has been less than 10 days since their symptoms resolved.

Employees and Students

  • Those who are not vaccinated for flu must wear a mask at all times during flu season. UAMS will set a deadline for vaccination (mid-November). Unvaccinated persons must wear a mask from then until the end of flu season is declared by the Arkansas Department of Health.
  • Employees with fever, cough, or cold symptoms should continue to fill out the online screening form to report to Student and Employee Health Services.

Please do your part to practice safe social distancing on the shuttles and at the shuttle stops.

COVID-19 Positive Test Steps for Students

If a student tests positive for COVID-19, they are required to notify their Associate/Assistant Dean* and the Student Employee Health Clinic by completing the UAMS COVID Screening Survey. If they live in the UAMS Residence Hall, they must also notify Nakia Dedner (501-686-5850, DednerNakiaA@uams.edu). Students may not return to campus until cleared by SEHS. Students living in the residence hall may quarantine there.

*listed below

Management of employees and students exposed to COVID-19, with confirmed COVID-19 or with Symptoms of COVID-19

Following new guidance issued by the CDC, UAMS has updated guidance for employees and students (Updated December 29, 2021):

  • If you test positive for COVID infection, regardless of vaccine status, you will be required to:
    -Quarantine for 5 days, return to work Day 6 if asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic with improving symptoms.
    -Daily symptom survey completion and conditional in the SEHS system for 10 days.
  • If you are exposed to someone with a COVID infection and do not have symptoms, requirements are:
    • -No work restrictions.
      -Daily symptom survey completion and conditional in the SEHS system for 10 days.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

If you would like information about the vaccine or where to get vaccinated, visit — https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/covid-19-vaccination-plan.  UAMS provides vaccines at several locations around the state. More information is provided here: https://uamshealth.com/location/?_location_type=covid-19-vaccine-clinic. UAMS does not currently require the COVID-19 vaccination, but UAMS is required to report the % of healthcare personnel including students vaccinated.

Uploading Vaccination Documentation to GUS

Please be sure that you have uploaded ALL of your vaccine information into GUS.  This includes all vaccines that UAMS requires as well as any other additional vaccines you have received.  Instructions for where to locate and upload this information are found here: https://uamshealth.com/university-healthcare/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2020/06/Student-Upload-Instructions-2.pdf.

COVID-19 Vaccinations and Clinical Sites

With the resurgence of COVID-19 virus cases in the State of Arkansas, a number of clinical training sites that host students from various UAMS programs are now REQUIRING proof of COVID-19 vaccination for employees and student trainees.  If you have not been fully vaccinated, you may not be able to attend training at these sites.  If you fail to meet the vaccine requirements of the external clinical site, we will work to find an alternate site for you to complete your requirement.  The process of locating an alternate site placement may take some time and delay your progress toward completing your clinical requirement and/or graduation.

CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARP

Information regarding the UAMS Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARP) can be found by clicking on the link below.

CARES Act/CRRSAA/ARP Disclosure Reports

Additional Resources

UAMS Health COVID-19  site

COVID-19 FAQs

COVID-19 Wellness Resources

Arkansas Department of Health COVID-19 site

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 site

Teaching Resources to Engage UAMS Learners

UAMS Resources for Working and Studying Remotely

Associate/Assistant Dean Contacts