Public Health Updates

COVID Update

The Student Health Center (SHC) continues to monitor  Respiratory Virus Activity levels in Washington, D.C. and nationally.

Since the  end of the public health emergency, students are no longer required to report COVID to the SHC or to the university. In addition, SHC will no longer track your isolation and release you from isolation.

If you are a GW student who has tested positive for COVID, please use the following guidelines:

• If you are having significant symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, etc), please go to the closest Emergency Room.
• If you are having concerning symptoms that you think warrant a consultation with a clinician, or if you need paxlovid or other treatments due to an underlying medical condition, please call 202-994-5300 during business hours to set up a Telehealth appointment with one of our providers. You may also try to set up a virtual telehealth appointment with TimelyCare.
• Isolation instructions: please follow these CDC instructions about preventing spread of respiratory viruses when you’re sick
• Once you are feeling better, please stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
• You should also plan to get this seasons' Flu vaccine!

Measles Update

The CDC has announced an expanding measles outbreak in the US. Hundreds of measles cases have been diagnosed over the past few months.  Two more cases in Maryland were just announced on 3/20/25, and Washington, D.C. announced a case on 3/25/25.

The MMR vaccine is your best protection against becoming infected by measles.

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A MEASLES EXPOSURE OR IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT MEASLES SYMPTOMS, PLEASE CALL 202-994-5300 DURING BUSINESS HOURS AND ASK TO SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR CLINICIANS.

PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE CLINIC UNANNOUNCED IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE SYMPTOMS (FEVER, COUGH, RUNNY NOSE, WATERY EYES AND RASH, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TRAVELLED INTERNATIONALLY OR TO AN OUTBREAK STATE).  PLEASE MASK AND SELF ISOLATE AS MEASLES IS HIGHLY INFECTIOUS TO OTHERS.

Note, all students under the age of 26 enrolled at GW must show proof of vaccination to measles, among other required vaccines, by DC Law.  We encourage students of any age to check with their primary care provider that they are adequately vaccinated with 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.  If you do not know your status, please schedule an appointment with one of our nurses to obtain titers to assess your immune status.

As a reminder, for compliance with our vaccine policy, as mandated by DC Law, all students under the age of 26 need to submit the Mandatory Health Form.  The form should be filled in legibly with the dates of your vaccines, and signed and stamped by your primary care provider.  You must submit your Mandatory Health Form to your Student Health Portal for our team to review it in a timely manner.

For questions regarding your immunization compliance please email immunreq@gwu.edu or call 202-994-5300 (option #2).