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COVID-19: Coronavirus Information

Latest Update

Website updated: April 23 (6 p.m.)

On April 23, the University announced an update about the planning process for the coming academic year 2020-21. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Princeton is evaluating various scenarios for campus operations. While no decisions have been made yet, the Academic Year 2021 Coordinating Committee is preparing for a number of options based on federal and state health guidelines and resources.

Provost Debbie Prentice is chair of the coordinating committee, which is looking at novel and creative ways in which the University can continue to advance scholarship, research and teaching of unsurpassed quality and Princeton’s commitment to service. Decisions will be based on four key priorities:

  • Health and well-being of entire community.
  • Restoring teaching and research activities to normal operations, safely but as soon as possible.
  • Sustaining commitment to access and affordability.
  • Retaining and supporting our talented workforce.

The committee will also determine a flexible timeline for decision-making based on how the global pandemic evolves in coming months.

You can read more about the committee’s work in this homepage story. The University will share more information about teaching, research and campus operations for next academic year as plans and policies are approved.

On April 23, the University emailed its weekly Community COVID-19 Newsletter to all students, faculty, staff, postdocs and researchers. In addition to stories about the Academic Year 2021 Coordinating Committee and the University statement on the CARES Higher Education Emergency Relief funding, this edition of the newsletter focused on ongoing volunteer efforts, a public health update and continued restrictions on University travel.

Website updated: April 23 (8:45 a.m.)

On April 22, the University issued the following statement related to the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund:

Congress allocated CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief funding to colleges and universities to ensure that they could support Pell grant recipients and other students impacted by COVID-19. Princeton, which did not request these funds, has examined whether it could use them in a manner consistent with congressional intent and guidance provided by the Department of Education. Our no-loan financial aid packages and other programs are designed to provide exceptional levels of support to our students, including DACA beneficiaries and international students. We remain committed to providing this support. We have also taken steps to meet additional needs resulting from COVID-19, and will continue to look for opportunities to do so throughout this crisis. Therefore, we have determined that the University will not accept this funding.

April 22 update: 

As of Wednesday, April 22, Princeton’s University Health Services (UHS) reports they are aware of the cases detailed below. Please remember, if students, faculty, or staff are tested for coronavirus, in any jurisdiction, they must contact UHS at communityhealth@princeton.edu. No one should wait for results; they should reach out to UHS directly as soon as they are tested.

The University will continue to provide regular updates on the number of tests and cases involving community members which UHS is aware of. These numbers, especially those involving students who no longer reside on campus, are based on self-reporting. 

Students

112 students have been tested for COVID-19. Of those, 20 students tested were on campus and 92 were elsewhere.

On-campus students 

3 students tested positive. Of those:

  • 1 met the criteria for discontinuation of isolation and is off campus.
  • 2 discontinued isolation according to clinical criteria and returned to regular on  campus housing.
  • 17 students tested negative and discontinued isolation.

 No student is isolating and none is quarantining on campus as of April 21.

Off-campus students 

  • 44 students tested positive and are receiving appropriate treatment.
  • 45 students tested negative.
  • 3 tests are still pending.

Employees

76 employees have been tested for COVID-19.

Of those 27 have tested positive, of which:

  • 18 have recovered and discontinued isolation.
  • 9 are in their respective homes in self-isolation and receiving appropriate treatment.

38 have tested negative.

10 tests are pending results

1 has resulted inconclusive. The employee will not be retested and has returned to work.

This case update is as of April 22 at 9 a.m. The University will continue to report regularly to the community on these developments.

We ask every member of the Princeton University community, whether on campus or elsewhere, to continue doing all they can to help slow the spread of this pandemic, including careful hand-washing, social distancing, and staying home as much as possible. Please remember, if you are tested for coronavirus, no matter where you are tested, you should immediately notify UHS by emailing communityhealth@princeton.edu.

April 20 update:

On April 20, an email from University Health Services and Environmental Health and Safety was sent to undergraduates and graduate students remaining on campus thanking them for their continued vigilance and sharing the latest public health best practices.

The email updated students about Governor Phil Murphy’s recent Executive Order requiring everyone in New Jersey to wear a face covering when entering any retail establishment or restaurant for take-out orders and when riding public transportation. The Governor’s Executive Orders also apply to Campus Dining facilities. Campus Dining staff are wearing face coverings, and all students entering dining halls to pick up meals must wear face coverings as well. Face coverings include cloth masks, bandanas, scarves, or other items that allow fabric to cover the nose and mouth. A medical mask, such as a surgical mask or an N95 respirator, should be reserved for healthcare workers and emergency responders. However, individuals can wear such a mask if they already have one.

The email also reminded students about avoiding all unnecessary trips off campus, including limiting trips off campus to procure food, in light of Governor Murphy's previous “stay at home” order.

April 18 update:

The University has submitted the following letter to the editor in response to a recent op/ed that left misimpressions about Provost Prentice's April 8 email to faculty and staff. We share the text of the letter below so it is available to all of the University community.

To the editor:

I am writing today in regards to the op-ed of April 16th addressing Princeton’s recent actions in response to COVID-19 and the impacts on our workforce.  In particular, I am reaching out to correct some misimpressions left by the op-ed concerning who on our campus may be affected and how.
 
The moves announced by the University last week are actually designed to protect the vast majority of our workforce, including those in positions highlighted in the op-ed.  Princeton is what it is because of its people, and we are working to support them during this crisis.  The overwhelming majority of our employees, including those who work in dining services, maintenance, custodial services, and other campus services, are in regular staff roles and therefore are not among the small number of positions we have asked our managers to assess as we head into the summer. 
 
Like every other college and university, we will be looking for ways to tighten our belt in response to the immense economic pressure being brought to bear by this crisis.  We are fortunate that we have not had to engage in the types of layoffs being instituted or contemplated by many of our peers.  It would be irresponsible of us to say that there will be zero reductions in our workforce, but given our strong financial situation we are able to greatly minimize the number and nature of any job losses, and we are currently able to protect our entire regular workforce.  No blanket layoffs have been instituted, and managers have simply been asked to look at a small number of positions and determine which ones we can continue to support over the long term.    
 
No institution in this country has been untouched by COVID-19, and that includes Princeton.  Tough choices lay ahead for all of us.  As the University has previously stated, we will be guided by four key principles as we manage our way through those choices--ensuring the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff; restoring our teaching and research activities to normal operations once it is safe to do so; sustaining our commitments to access and affordability; and retaining and supporting our talented workforce.  We want to thank all of our team members for their work during these difficult times, and we all look forward to a time when we can welcome our students back to campus.
 
Sincerely,
 
Lianne Sullivan-Crowley
Vice President for Human Resources
Princeton University 

April 16 update: 

On April 16, Jill Dolan, dean of the college, and Rochelle Calhoun, vice president for campus life, sent an email to undergraduates regarding end-of-semester processes and summer programming cancellations and guidelines.

On April 16, Dean of the Graduate School Sarah-Jane Leslie sent an email to prospective degree candidates for a virtual Hooding ceremony and Commencement, as well as plans for an in-person ceremony in 2021.

On April 16, Aly Kassam-Remtulla, associate provost for international affairs and operations, issued the following extension of the University’s current prohibition against international travel and strong recommendation against domestic travel, including University-sponsored travel and personal travel (domestic and international). This information supersedes earlier guidance about travel.

Given the uncertainty about when travel will again be safe and when countries will begin lifting current travel restrictions, we share the following guidance for all populations affiliated with Princeton University including undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff. This guidance is in place until further notice.

Academic and administrative units that have questions about domestic or international travel may seek guidance from the Global Safety and Security unit at globalsafety@princeton.edu.

University-sponsored international travel

International travel continues to be suspended and this will only be reviewed when the current US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US Department of State (DOS) travel restrictions have been relaxed.  For travel to be considered, a location will have to be CDC Level 0 or 1 AND DOS Level 1, 2, or 3.  At this time, no locations meet those criteria and we will provide additional guidance to the campus when that occurs.  Until further notice, no international travel should be planned or scheduled.

University-sponsored domestic travel

COVID-19 is rapidly spreading throughout the United States and we do not have systematic advice from government authorities about the safety of domestic travel.  We therefore maintain a strong recommendation against non-essential domestic travel.

We urge those who engage in such travel to exercise caution and good judgement.  Travelers should heed the advice of authorities in the states they are departing from and to which they are traveling.  For further advice, please consult the CDC’s advice for domestic travel.

Many states have a “shelter in place” order so we expect domestic travel in the near-term to be limited.  In addition, several states now require quarantines for those arriving from cities and states affected by large-scale outbreaks.  We encourage those considering domestic travel to develop medical and logistical contingency plans in case restrictions change, including in the state to which they plan to return.

As was the case prior to COVID-19, undergraduate students must register all domestic travel (beyond the New York to Philadelphia corridor) in Concur Request.

Personal travel (international or domestic)

We continue to strongly urge against international and domestic personal travel (vacations, visiting friends/family) and note our limited ability to support such travelers. If you choose to engage in international personal travel, you should register for alerts from International SOS (membership number 11BSGC000022), enroll in the DOS Smart Traveler’s Enrollment Program (STEP) (or similar programs offered by other governments for their citizens/nationals), purchase travel insurance (note that most policies do not cover COVID-19 related evacuation or repatriation), and closely monitor local travel advisories. 

On April 15, Jill Dolan sent an email to faculty about end-of-semester academic processes.

Website updated: April 15 (6 p.m.)

On April 15, the University emailed its weekly Community COVID-19 Newsletter to all students, faculty, staff, postdocs and researchers. This edition of the newsletter introduced the University’s new “We Roar” podcast to share the personal stories and expertise of Princetonians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first four episodes, including a conversation with President Christopher L. Eisgruber, are available now.

The newsletter also contained information on the University’s plans for Commencement in light of COVID-19 and President Eisgruber's letter to members of the Class of 2020 and their families; stories about how the University has been helping communities close to home and throughout New Jersey as they respond to the public health emergency and address local food insecurity; how University staff and faculty can volunteer to lend their support through the COVID-19 Response Special Activities and Resources Group (SARG); and new faculty research projects aimed at accelerating solutions to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Acts of bias, discrimination, and harassment run counter to our University values and Princeton’s policies, including Respect for Others and our nondiscrimination policies, as well as our Statement on Diversity and Community.

Princeton University is committed to maintaining an educational, working and living environment that is free of all forms of discrimination and where every member can thrive. It is essential that each of us uphold and demonstrate these core values of dignity and respect. We encourage you to communicate these values to your staff and colleagues.

Public Health Guidance

We encourage all members of the University community to employ the following social distancing techniques:

  • Keep at least six feet between yourself and another person in all public places including the library, dining halls, Frist, Prospect House, etc.
  • Avoid close contact, including handshakes and hugging.
  • Limit in-person meetings.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue
Avoid close contact, limit in-person meetings, keep 6 feet between you and others

Prevention measures are similar to those utilized against the common cold and flu. Those measures include frequent hand washing and avoiding touching one's face with unwashed hands. 

The University is conducting more frequent cleaning in common areas and on commonly touched surfaces, including in dining and housing spaces.

Avoid touching your face
Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds

 

Governor Phil Murphy issued an Executive Order on April 10 requiring everyone in New Jersey to wear a face covering when entering any retail establishment or restaurant for take-out orders and when riding public transportation. 

On April 2, the CDC updated its guidance to recommend the use of cloth face coverings “in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies). The guidance also clarifies that this recommendation is to use cloth face coverings, not surgical masks or N95 masks, as those are critical supplies that must be reserved for healthcare workers and medical first responders. 

Stay at home when you are sick except to seek medical attention
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces

Below are links to University Health Services handouts that explain social distancing, isolation and quarantine, as well as recognizing COVID-19 symptoms, and what to do if you think you might have the disease.

If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and please call in advance.

  • Undergraduate and graduate students on campus – call University Health Services at 609-258-3141.
  • Students off campus - contact your primary care provider or local urgent care center. If you are tested for coronavirus, you must notify UHS by emailing  communityhealth@princeton.edu so UHS can begin contact tracing. 
  • Employees – contact your primary care provider or local urgent care center. If you are tested for coronavirus, you must notify UHS by emailing  communityhealth@princeton.edu so UHS can begin contact tracing. 

The following is specific guidance from University Health Services on what to do if you have tested positive for COVID-19, come into contact with someone else who has tested positive, or have symptoms of COVID-19 for:

Any questions should be emailed to UHS at communityhealth@princeton.edu.

FAQs

Undergraduate student FAQs

Graduate student FAQs

Staff FAQs

Faculty FAQs

Parent FAQs

Visitor FAQs

Volunteer Opportunities

The University has convened the COVID-19 Response Special Activities and Resources Group (SARG) in response to the significant public health needs from the COVID-19 pandemic. SARG will evaluate, support and assist with non-research volunteer projects primarily focused on production, manufacturing and donation. These volunteer projects are open to faculty and staff members who may volunteer to participate during University work hours (with supervisor approval).

The focus of the COVID-19 Response Special Activities and Resources Group is to allocate university resources and coordinate several special activities that can have immediate application and impact. Examples may include:

  • the collection and donation of cloth face coverings;
  • the inventorying and repurposing of equipment and materials that can potentially be used to design and produce protective equipment and other healthcare needs;
  • the production of medical devices or parts using 3D printers and other manufacturing equipment;  
  • blood drives to assist with critical levels of the nation's blood supply. 

Members of the community are encouraged to submit ideas for new/ongoing projects as well as volunteer.

Campus Events

All campus events are canceled following Governor Murphy's state-wide "stay at home" order issued on March 21.

Princeton remains operational with remote classes starting March 23, and essential staff who perform critical services continue to support undergraduate and graduate students who have been approved to remain on campus. 

Summer 2020 Programs

On April 16, Dean of the College Jill Dolan and Vice President for Campus Life Rochelle Calhoun sent an email update about end-of-the-semester and summer programs, including the cancelation of all on-campus summer programs through August 15.

Spring 2020 Year-End Events

On April 15, President Christopher L. Eisgruber wrote to the members of the undergraduate Class of 2020 and their families to invite them to participate in a unique on-campus commencement ceremony to be held in the days before Reunions on either May 19 or May 20, 2021. He added that the University will “officially and enthusiastically” confer degrees to all seniors and graduate students earning their degrees in a virtual ceremony on May 31, 2020. The current plans for other year-end ceremonies traditionally held on campus in the spring are also described in a story on the University homepage. The University will provide additional information about these events in the coming weeks.

On April 16, Dean of the Graduate School Sarah-Jane Leslie sent an email to prospective degree candidates about plans for a virtual Hooding ceremony on May 29, 2020, as well as plans for an in-person ceremony in 2021. Graduate degree recipients may also participate in the virtual Commencement ceremony on May 31, 2020.

On March 20, Alumni Engagement, University Advancement, announced that the 2020 annual Reunions event, traditionally held the weekend prior to Commencement, will not be held this year. For the full announcement, please visit the Alumni Engagement website and the Reunions website.

Virtual Events

Academic and campus life departments, centers, and programs are offering a variety of virtual and online lectures, music, religious services and other programming. The lists below are a brief sampling? 

For departments and other University groups hosting virtual events, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity has developed a series of brief webinars and related resources to help recognize various forms of online abuse, highlight proactive steps to help prevent an online attack, present best practices for responding to online abuse, and provide guidance for reporting incidents of online abuse. The webinars (which are approximately three minutes each) and resource materials are located here: https://inclusive.princeton.edu/addressing-concerns/bias-discrimination-harassment/online-harassment-resources. This tip sheet summarizes the most important information.

The following events are for the University community only:

The John H. Pace ’39 Center for Civic Engagement has curated a number of tips, resources, information and ideas to virtually respond and engage.

Led by Campus Life units and facilitated by the Office of Wintersession and Campus Engagement (OWCE), this page contains resources for Princeton undergraduate and graduate students to reduce social isolation and encourage connections while on-campus opportunities are suspended due to COVID-19 precautions.

For personal and professional development, the GradFUTURES website now includes an easily accessible listing of dozens of online programs and resources. 

The following events are free and open to the public:

Princeton University Concerts (PUC) offers an evolving list of free streaming resources, and invites the public to join its virtual concert hall on Spotify as part of its new Collaborative Listening Project. PUC hopes both initiatives might help fill your social distancing with music!

The Office of Religious Life offers a daily 10-minute guided meditation with Dean Matt Weiner at 4 p.m., Monday-Friday, via Zoom.

The Center for Jewish Life/Hillel is hosting virtual events and programs; online registration is required. 

The Lewis Center for the Arts is now offering a number of virtual events and activities including online dance classes, a series of conversations with theater makers, and guest artist talks open to the University community, with more opportunities being planned. Stay up to date by signing up to receive a weekly email of coming events.

Princeton University Chapel’s Sunday services will be videotaped and may be viewed online at Sunday Chapel Service. The services will remain archived, so everyone may return to them whenever they might find that to be helpful.

Princeton University Art Museum is pleased to offer online lectures  and highlights of current exhibitions.

Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) is pleased to offer online events. Check PEI’s event calendar for details.

Yiyun Li, professor of creative writing in the Lewis Center for the Arts, invites readers to participate in her virtual book club Tolstoy Together. Inspired by the solidity and structure that “War and Peace” provides in these unsettling times, the novel offers “a moment each day when we can gather together as a community.”

The Humanities Council is pleased to offer a range of thought-provoking talks, lectures and online events. Check the event calendar for details.

The departments and centers of the School of Engineering and Applied Science continue to offer online events. See the listings here and sign up for the school’s weekly events newsletter.

Classes and Research

Classes

To facilitate social distancing, all lectures, seminars and precepts will move to virtual instruction beginning Monday, March 23 and remain virtual through the end of Spring 2020, including exams.   

Faculty have received guidance and recommendations on online delivery methods for their courses. The McGraw Center will provide support to faculty, as detailed on its website, including instructional strategies, available tools and recommended best practices. 

Dean of the College Jill Dolan sent an email to undergraduates on March 19 with information about learning continuity, grading and other academic resources for virtual instruction for the remainder of spring 2020 semester. 

Public health officials advise that it’s crucial to reduce density on campus. Moving to virtual instruction will allow the University to decrease the potential health risk to the larger community, and the easier it will be to care for those who may become ill and to manage the eventual impact of this virus.  

Research

The latest University guidance regarding academic research, including lab research on campus, is detailed in frequently asked questions on the Princeton Research website. 

The Office of Research and Project Administration (ORPA) has also compiled a list of frequently asked questions related to sponsored research.

Travel

April 16 update:

On April 16, Aly Kassam-Remtulla, associate provost for international affairs and operations, issued the following extension of the University’s current prohibition against international travel and strong recommendation against domestic travel, including University-sponsored travel and personal travel (domestic and international). This information supersedes earlier guidance about travel.

Given the uncertainty about when travel will again be safe and when countries will begin lifting current travel restrictions, we share the following guidance for all populations affiliated with Princeton University including undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff. This guidance is in place until further notice.

Academic and administrative units that have questions about domestic or international travel may seek guidance from the Global Safety and Security unit at globalsafety@princeton.edu.

University-sponsored international travel

International travel continues to be suspended and this will only be reviewed when the current US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US Department of State (DOS) travel restrictions have been relaxed.  For travel to be considered, a location will have to be CDC Level 0 or 1 AND DOS Level 1, 2, or 3.  At this time, no locations meet those criteria and we will provide additional guidance to the campus when that occurs.  Until further notice, no international travel should be planned or scheduled.

University-sponsored domestic travel

COVID-19 is rapidly spreading throughout the United States and we do not have systematic advice from government authorities about the safety of domestic travel.  We therefore maintain a strong recommendation against non-essential domestic travel.

We urge those who engage in such travel to exercise caution and good judgement.  Travelers should heed the advice of authorities in the states they are departing from and to which they are traveling.  For further advice, please consult the CDC’s advice for domestic travel.

Many states have a “shelter in place” order so we expect domestic travel in the near-term to be limited.  In addition, several states now require quarantines for those arriving from cities and states affected by large-scale outbreaks.  We encourage those considering domestic travel to develop medical and logistical contingency plans in case restrictions change, including in the state to which they plan to return.

As was the case prior to COVID-19, undergraduate students must register all domestic travel (beyond the New York to Philadelphia corridor) in Concur Request.

Personal travel (international or domestic)

We continue to strongly urge against international and domestic personal travel (vacations, visiting friends/family) and note our limited ability to support such travelers. If you choose to engage in international personal travel, you should register for alerts from International SOS(membership number 11BSGC000022), enroll in the DOS Smart Traveler’s Enrollment Program (STEP) (or similar programs offered by other governments for their citizens/nationals), purchase travel insurance (note that most policies do not cover COVID-19 related evacuation or repatriation), and closely monitor local travel advisories. 

March 14 update: 

As of 5 p.m. EDT March 14, the University has asked all students studying abroad to return to their permanent residence by March 23, 2020. This is an expansion of the University’s previous suspension of study abroad programs in Europe, China and other countries following travel restrictions issued by the federal government and the declaration of a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. The University continues to work with students on arrangements to return to their permanent residences and to help defray travel costs, as well as to discuss future academic options and accommodations.  

The University announced March 12 it was suspending operations at the five international Bridge Year Program sites, with a proposed departure date for students of March 20. The University continues to work directly with the approximately 40 students and their families on travel arrangements for the students to return to their residences.

All University-sponsored international travel is prohibited, and all personal international travel is strongly discouraged. Non-essential University-sponsored domestic travel should be postponed or canceled. These restrictions will not apply to University-sponsored travel required to return to campus by community members who are currently studying or working remotely. 

We understand that some individuals and academic/administrative units are already planning University-sponsored international and domestic travel for the remainder of 2020 and 2021.  Given the significant uncertainty, we encourage you to delay or postpone such plans. If you must make plans, please pay close attention to cancellation and refund policies and change fees.  

CDC Travel Notices by Country with Level Definitions

DOS Travel Advisories with Level Definitions

Resources

University Resources

External Resources

University Communications

Princeton has sent out a series of announcements to update the University community regarding coronavirus. This list will be updated as further communications are sent.

Latest Updates Archive

Previous daily updates that were posted to the top of this coronavirus website have been archived online for reference.