Latest updates

May 2022

• May 3: Ohio State will be shifting to a voluntary testing program for the summer starting on Monday, May 9. Masks remain optional in most indoor spaces and the COVID-19 vaccine is still required for all students, faculty and staff. Read more in the Ohio State News alert.  

April 2022

• April 19: According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), face masks are no longer required on public transportation. Riders using Ohio State's CABS, paratransit and charter servicers are no longer required to wear a face mask. CABS continues to clean and disinfect all buses and high-touch surfaces daily, including handrails and poles. Hand sanitizer is provided inside the buses at the front and rear doors. All passengers should enter via the front door and exit via the back door.

March 2022

• March 8: Starting at 6 p.m. Friday, March 11, masks will be optional in most indoor spaces on Ohio State University campuses, including residence halls, dining facilities, classrooms, offices and the Ohio Union. The university continues to require masks in clinical health care settings (including at the Wexner Medical Center), COVID-19 testing locations and child care centers. 

January 2022

• January 7: The university shared guidance and resources for instructors teaching courses this semester. Provost Melissa L. Gilliam outlined campus health measures and issued information about how to support students and prepare for absences. Additional information is available on the Teaching page.

• January 4: The university shared information about health protocols that will be in place for spring semester. Read more on the Returning to Campus page.

• January 3: Due to the increased demand for testing in the community, the Wexner Medical Center is transitioning the COVID-19 testing location to a drive-thru facility to ramp up testing capacity. The new site is located in the parking garage at CAS (Chemical Abstracts), 2540 Olentangy River Road, located just north of the Fawcett Center. The CAS site will operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. Read more on the Symptomatic Testing page.

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December 2021

• December 22: In advance of spring semester, Ohio State is urging all students, faculty and staff to ensure they have the strongest protection possible through vaccination. Anyone who is not fully vaccinated should do so, and all students, faculty and staff should receive a booster shot as soon as they are eligible. Read the Ohio State News message(link is external).

• December 10: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging everyone ages 16 and older to get a booster shot.  Vaccine appointments are scheduled through MyChart(link is external). Read more on the Get Vaccinated page.

• December 1: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has strengthened its recommendation on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and the university is urging everyone ages 18 and older to get a booster shot.  Vaccine appointments are scheduled through MyChart. Read more on the Get Vaccinated page.

November 2021

• November 30: Students, faculty and staff can take advantage of asymptomatic surveillance testing available on each campus. Appointments can be scheduled through MyChart. All members of the Ohio State community are encouraged to use this testing resource regardless of vaccination status. Those who have recently returned from international locations or traveled within the U.S. through major international travel hubs over the Thanksgiving holiday are urged to be tested as soon as possible. Read more on the Voluntary Testing page.

• November 1: Due to the recent federal vaccine mandate, Ohio State is no longer permitted to allow personal exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees, including student employees. Read more on the COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement page.

September 2021

• September 27: Eligible Wexner Medical Center patients can now schedule booster dose of Pfizer vaccine. Read more on the Get Vaccinated page.

• September 1: Students should use My BuckMD to submit vaccination status and documentation, or to submit an exemption. The Employee Health Record form will collect COVID-19 vaccination information, as well as exemption requests, for faculty and staff. Students should  The deadline to submit a COVID-19 exemption request is Sept. 17. The deadline to report at least a first vaccine dose or obtain an approved exemption is Oct. 15. Read more on the COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement Page.

August 2021

• August 24: To enhance the health and safety of the university community, Ohio State is requiring every student, faculty and staff member to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The deadline for all Ohio State students, faculty and staff to have at least a first dose is Friday, October 15, 2021. For people receiving a two-dose vaccine, the second dose must be received by November 15, 2021. For details and timeline for the Wexner Medical Center’s employee requirement, visit the Wexner Medical Center site. Read more on the COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement Page.

• August 2: Effective immediately, students, faculty, staff and visitors to all Ohio State campuses and medical facilities are required to wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. Masks continue to be required outdoors for unvaccinated individuals when they cannot maintain physical distancing. Vaccinated people are not required to mask outdoors. Read more on the Personal Safety Practices page.

July 2021​

• July 28: The university shared FAQs to address topics related to classroom instruction and how faculty and other instructors are expected to engage with the community. Read more on the Teaching page.

• July 27: To make informed decisions related to COVID-19 and further enable contact tracing, Ohio State is requiring students, faculty and staff to report whether or not they have been vaccinated by Thursday, August 5. Personal health information will not be shared publicly or directly with instructors, managers or leaders. Read more about how to report your vaccine information.

• July 9: To further encourage the Ohio State community to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the university will be distributing $50,000 in prizes to students, faculty and staff who have received their shots and report it to the university. Throughout August, the university will conduct weekly drawings for prizes that include gift cards, football season tickets and annual parking permits.  Read more on the Ohio State vaccine incentives page.
• July 1: The university has lifted the state of emergency declaration that has been in place since March 2020. The declaration, which was pursuant to Ohio State’s Disaster Preparedness and University State of Emergency Policy (Policy 6.17), gave the university flexibility in making a variety of financial decisions during the pandemic.

June 2021

• June 30: Effective immediately, Ohio State students, faculty and staff are no longer required to complete the daily health check when they are well. All employees should stay home instead of coming to work if they are experiencing symptoms of illness. Please note that Wexner Medical Center faculty and staff, as well as students with clinical responsibilities in hospital facilities, are required to use the Ohio State app or compass.osu.edu to report if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms prior to their scheduled workday. 
• June 9: For fully vaccinated people, masks are no longer required on Ohio State’s campuses except for in Wexner Medical Center clinical facilities, Student Health facilities and on public transportation – in accordance with public health guidelines. Fully vaccinated individuals are also no longer required to physically distance. Individuals who are not vaccinated are required to continue wearing masks indoors and physically distancing at all times. Read more on the Personal Safety Practices page.
• June 7: Effective July 1, 2021, the university will allow business-related travel in line with updated health and safety requirements and our continued focus on fiscal responsibility. Details are available on the Travel page.

May 2021

• May 17: Based on the changes to federal and state health guidance, Ohio State will be making the following adjustments to our Safe and Healthy requirements:
  • ​Outdoor masking: Effective immediately, fully vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask outdoors on Ohio State campuses. The university continues to strongly recommend that unvaccinated people wear masks when they cannot maintain safe distancing. Note that individuals are fully vaccinated 14 days after their final dose of vaccine.
  • Indoor masking: Masks are still required indoors, with an exception for cases where individuals are working alone in their own office (not a shared work space). We will continue to closely monitor conditions and hope to lift the indoor mask requirement in the fall if the vaccination rate among the university community is sufficiently high.

April 2021

• April 13: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended pausing the use of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine due to the development of a rare blood clotting disorder and low platelet counts in six patients out of more than 6 million people who have received this vaccine. Out of an abundance of caution, the Wexner Medical Center has stopped scheduling new appointments for the J&J vaccine. Individuals who are currently scheduled to receive the J&J vaccine will be contacted to either reschedule their appointment to receive the Pfizer vaccine or to cancel it. Anyone who has received a J&J vaccine at the Wexner Medical Center will receive a MyChart  message with guidance on symptoms to watch for and what to do if these symptoms develop. 
• April 1: President Johnson announced that the university has been given the opportunity by the state of Ohio to dedicate 25% of the Wexner Medical Center’s first-dose vaccine allocation to any Ohio State student, faculty or staff member. This is possible because of the increasing number of doses available to the Wexner Medical Center and the Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s work to secure additional vaccines for college and university students in Ohio. Appointments under this new opportunity will be displayed in MyChart beginning April 9, with the first available appointments beginning Wednesday, April 14, and running through April 20. Each week, additional appointments will be released after the university receives information about the brand and the number of doses for our next weekly allocation of vaccine. Read more on the COVID-19 vaccine information page.

March 2021

• March 31: Everyone is encouraged to register for the university-wide COVID-19 virtual town hall on April 12, at 5:30 p.m. The discussion will include information on fall campus reactivation plans, updates about the state of the pandemic and vaccination progress as well as time for questions. Participants should register using their university email address and are encouraged to submit questions in advance. The registration link is here. 

• March 30: Beginning Monday, April 5, Columbus campus students who live on campus, attend in-person classes, visit campus for any reason or interact with other students and campus community members must schedule and complete two COVID-19 tests each week. Requirements for regional testing students have not changed. Read more in a message from President Johnson.

• March 17: President Johnson announced plans to host a modified in-person spring commencement for 2021 graduates on May 9, 2021, in Ohio Stadium. The university will make adjustments to provide a memorable celebration that is safe and healthy. Ohio State will also celebrate Ohio State’s spring, summer and autumn 2020 graduates later this year as part of the Aug. 8, 2021 commencement. Typically held at the Schottenstein Center, this commencement will be moved to Ohio Stadium. More information on logistics, ticketing and other parameters for 2021 and 2020 graduates will be shared with the community as commencement nears. Read more in President Johnson’s message to students.

• March 4: President Johnson announced in a campus-wide message that starting Monday, March 8, students who live in university housing or university-managed facilities on the Columbus campus will be required to schedule and complete two COVID-19 tests each week. More details are available on the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website.

• March 3: University leaders held a town hall on March 1 which covered information on university planning efforts related to the summer term and fall semester as well as updates on vaccination distribution efforts. You can watch it and read answers to questions that were submitted on the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes COVID-19 Vaccination Information page. 

February 2021

• Feb. 25: Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson announced that planning is underway for a reactivation of its campuses this fall to offer safe and robust in-person experiences significantly expanded from current restrictions. The university will continue to follow all appropriate measures to promote the health and well-being of the community with the partnership and approval of local, state and federal health authorities. Details of the university’s reactivation plan will be announced in the coming months as leaders continue to study the latest data related to COVID-19 and public health. More information is on the Planning for 2021-22 academic year webpage.

• Feb. 22: The next university-wide COVID-19 virtual town hall is scheduled for March 1 at 5:30 p.m. The discussion will include information on university planning efforts related to the summer term and fall semester as well as updates on vaccinations and other topics. Find the registration link and read more on the COVID-19 Vaccine Information page.

• Feb. 11: The university will begin allowing limited in-person gatherings for students at the Columbus campus. Student organizations may resume in-person events of 10 or fewer people on and off campus beginning Friday, February 12. Following all safe and healthy protocols is required, and student organization leaders must submit space reservation requests(link is external) that include details of planned safety measures. Student organizations are encouraged to continue holding virtual and hybrid activities to ensure broad access to activities. The university will monitor positivity rates to determine if additional changes are necessary. The student organization exception is limited.Read more on the Events and Gatherings page.

• Feb. 11: All other in-person events and gatherings – including those of 10 people or fewer – are prohibited for the safety of our community. Public events will resume using a phased-in approach as conditions allow. Read more on the Events and Gatherings page.

• Feb. 8: The university’s COVID-19 dashboard, which provides a regularly updated status on the virus across Ohio and within the campus community, has been enhanced to make it more user friendly while offering a complete picture of cases and positivity rates dating back to the beginning of the university’s testing program. With this new version of the dashboard, users will be able to view the data going back to the 2020 fall semester as well as the most up-to-date numbers for the 2021 spring semester. 

January 2021

• Jan. 28: Everyone is invited to join a virtual town hall about the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, February 1, at 5:30 p.m. The first in a series, the town hall will provide an opportunity for the community to ask questions about COVID-19 generally and the vaccine specifically. Participants should register using their university email address and are encouraged to submit questions in advance. More details are on the COVID-19 Vaccine Information page.
• Jan. 22: In a message to the university community, President Johnson shared an overview of the current available information about how the COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed under the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state of Ohio. The university is working in close coordination with Governor Mike DeWine as well as state and local health experts. Current plans for vaccine distribution by the Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, along with general information and links for further vaccine information and guidelines from the state of Ohio are available on the COVID-19 Vaccine Information page.
• Jan. 19: The university will continue to offer flexible work arrangements, including remote work options where appropriate, to faculty, staff and student employees through the end of the Spring 2021 semester. This practice will support employees balancing home and work responsibilities and help minimize the spread of COVID-19. Leaders and managers are encouraged to provide flexibility and remote work options to the fullest extent while ensuring that operational and educational needs are met. Continue following the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes protocols and wear masks, maintain physical distancing and adhere to other guidelines to stay safe at work and at home. Read more on the Office of Human Resources website.
• Jan. 5: Based on guidance from the Ohio Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccine administration continues to prioritize Wexner Medical Center front-line clinical staff as well as those most vulnerable to the virus. As of December 30, more than 7,200 medical center front-line health care workers have either been vaccinated or are scheduled to receive the vaccine. The university is actively planning for expanded vaccine distribution as allowed by the State of Ohio and will work in coordination with Governor Mike DeWine as well as state and local health experts. Details will be shared when they are available and information is on the COVID-19 Vaccine Information page. Additional information about vaccine distribution is available on the Ohio Department of Health website.

December 2020

• Dec. 31: The health advisory for the City of Columbus and Franklin County has been extended through Jan. 23, 2021. Read more information about impacts to students, faculty and staff.
• Dec. 30: Governor DeWine has extended the statewide curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. through January 23. Read more information about impacts to students, faculty and staff.
• Dec. 21: Ohio State is planning for spring semester to prioritize the health and safety of the university community, and testing is an important component of that. Visit the Spring Semester COVID-19 Testing page to learn more about changes and requirements for spring semester.
• Dec. 17: The City of Columbus and Franklin County have extended the Stay at Home Advisory until January 2, 2021. The statewide curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. also remains in effect through January 2, 2021. Read more information about impacts to students, faculty and staff.
• Dec. 10: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine extended the statewide curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. through January 2, 2021.  Additionally, a 28-day health advisory for the City of Columbus and Franklin County remains in place. Read more information about impacts to students, faculty and staff.
• Dec. 1: The university will expand instructional breaks during the spring semester. The first of these two-day breaks from classes will take place Feb. 23-24. The second will be March 31-April 1. These will replace the previously announced single-day instructional breaks. Several other adjustments will be made to the academic calendar related to adding these instructional breaks for wellness. On April 2, Wednesday classes will meet instead of Friday classes. April 23 will now be the final day of spring classes and final exams will take place from April 26-30. The full academic calendar is posted on the University Registrar website. 

November 2020

• Nov. 19: Governor DeWine’s statewide curfew begins on November 19, Franklin County has been elevated to Alert Level 4 (purple) in the Ohio Public Health Advisory System and the health advisory for the City of Columbus and Franklin County begins on November 20. Read more about how these impact Ohio State students, faculty and staff. 
• Nov. 19: Effective at 6 pm. on November 20, in-person classes will be moved to online or other forms of remote instruction. Exceptions where in-person instruction is permitted include clinical programs conducted under approved safety protocols as well as laboratory, studio and performance classes. Students should check with their instructors about alternative plans for in-person courses, and professors who need assistance with different delivery modes should contact their academic department. Read more in a message from President Johnson. 
• Nov. 19: University Libraries will offer contactless services beginning Friday, Nov. 20 so buildings will be closed to the public.
• Nov. 18: Students must be in their residence from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Dining facilities, recreation facilities and the Ohio Union will close by 9:30 p.m. (locations may vary). Read more here. 
• Nov. 15: In a message to the university community, President Kristina Johnson shared updated departure plans for winter break. The plans ensure that all Buckeyes can return home safely and not spread the virus to their communities, families and friends.
• Nov. 15: The first two weeks of spring semester classes (January 11-15 and 18-22) will be conducted via virtual delivery. Student move-in for spring semester is currently scheduled for January 18. Read more in a message from President Johnson.
• Nov. 15: Students living on and off campus can schedule a test through the MyChart website today. Testing should be completed at least 24 hours before departing campus to ensure results are back prior to your departure. A limited number of walk-up tests will be available for students living off campus.
• Nov. 12: Students living on campus are asked not to leave campus unless it is absolutely necessary. Students living off campus should only come to campus for class and other necessary activities including: to work, take a COVID-19 test or fulfill a medical appointment or address other in-person responsibilities. Because exercise is important for maintaining our physical and mental health, recreational facilities will remain open and will continue to follow strict safety protocols. Read more in a message from President Johnson.
• Nov. 12: Faculty and staff who can work remotely are urged to do so. Many employees are already working from home; the university encourages others who can do so to coordinate with their supervisors and work remotely to enhance the safety of our campuses for those who must come in. 
• Nov. 12: Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, faculty and staff should consider canceling or postponing travel over the holiday and winter break and avoid gatherings with those outside of their immediate household. Faculty and staff are also encouraged to take advantage of the university’s voluntary testing program to help keep yourself and the members of your household safe. Read more in a message from President Johnson.
• Nov. 12: Effective immediately, all in-person student organization gatherings, events and tabling activities, even those of 10 people or fewer, will be prohibited. This limitation applies both to on-campus and off-campus events and gatherings of any kind. Read more on the Events and Gatherings page.
• Nov. 6: The university community will celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2020 during a virtual commencement on Sunday, December 13, 2020, at 2 p.m. The event will be livestreamed and shared with Buckeyes in Ohio and around the world. An in-person ceremony will be announced at a future date when it is safe to do so. Read more from President Johnson's message to the class. 
• Nov. 4: Students should start preparing now for Thanksgiving and Winter Break plans. Read more information on the Travel page.  

October 2020

• Oct. 21: To most efficiently and effectively serve our campus community, the university will transition the surveillance testing to an on-campus lab and scheduling/results delivery tool. This change will allow the university to test and process results more quickly and affordably and improve the on-site experience at the Jesse Owens North testing facility. For the testing process, students will begin using the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center MyChart patient portal. View the transition timeline for more details.
• Oct. 20: The university announced new operations and protocols ahead of the first football game of the season at Ohio Stadium. Each home game Saturday, Buckeye fans will be encouraged to experience and enjoy a slice of game day through a Scarlet Saturday production, a live-streamed second-screen experience from inside Ohio Stadium, and that will also include pre-recorded band performances. Read more on the Athletics page.
• Oct. 15: The university will transition the surveillance testing to an on-campus lab and scheduling/results delivery tool. This change will allow the university to test and process results more quickly and affordably. The university will begin to use this system in phases, starting in October and through January. Students will receive more information about when they should begin scheduling using Ohio State MyChart through their university email. Read more in the message to students from Dr Shivers and Dr Stone.
• Oct. 7: The university is strongly encouraging faculty, staff and students to get a flu shot this season, which coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Oct. 5: The university supports maximum flexibility to help our faculty, staff and student employees balance the demands of work and home life during this COVID-19 pandemic. Read more on the accomodations page.

September 2020

• Sept. 16: A new detailed explanation of the metrics included in Ohio State's COVID-19 dashboard is available on the Dashboard Measures and Interpretations page.
• Sept. 14: New FAQs, including information about the timeline for isolation and quarantine, have been added to the Contact Tracing, Isolation and Quarantine page.
• Sept. 14: Beginning the week of September 21, graduate and professional students will be included in the university’s surveillance testing program while awaiting test results. Students tested as part of this program are not required to quarantine. More details will be provided to those who are eligible to be selected.
• Sept. 10: The university updated the COVID-19 dashboard, adding a feature to track positivity rates over time so you can now see how the data is trending and how we all are doing in our collective efforts to fight the spread of the virus.
• Sept. 8: As shared in a message to student leaders on Tuesday, Sept. 8, the university is installing three additional large tents on the Columbus campus to facilitate opportunities for students to engage with one another. These spaces will be available for informal use beginning the week of Sept. 14. Additional information about reserving these tents, other outdoor spaces and Student Life facilities for use will be shared soon.
• Sept. 2: Student testing – Labor Day weekend travel: We ask students with travel plans to get tested before you leave campus. You can go to Jesse Owens North Thursday, Sept. 3, through Saturday, Sept. 5, without an appointment. Registration will occur on site at Jesse Owens. Testing hours are: Thursday or Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Your results will be provided to you as soon as possible but will likely take at least 48 hours. In the meantime, you should act as though you are positive and wear your mask, practice physical distancing and take all other safety precautions.