Infectious Disease Support
Columbia Health provides Infectious Disease Support for students through Medical Services and Alice! Health Promotion. To receive infectious disease support, begin by contacting Medical Services at 212-854-7426 or making an appointment through the Patient Portal.
Infectious Disease Support at Columbia Health
Columbia Health offers free support, guidance, and care for students who are diagnosed with, suspected of having, or exposed to an infectious disease.
Medical Services and Alice! Health Promotion are the departments within Columbia Health that support infectious disease prevention and control.
- Medical Services provides clinical support, monitors symptoms, and orders diagnostic testing.
- Alice! Health Promotion provides non-clinical support, including guidance on navigating shared living arrangements during isolation, assistance with obtaining essential resources such as food and medication, and support in communicating with faculty when needed. In addition, the team conducts contact tracing efforts to safeguard the health of the University community.
All infectious disease support is confidential. Columbia Health will not disclose your personal information or health information to anyone outside of Columbia Health, except when required by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH).
Note: The Infectious Disease Support process doesn’t apply to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, you may discuss STIs during a Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) visit. You may also receive support for STIs through Medical Services.
Who is eligible?
On-campus medical and lab services are available to all students who have paid the full-time Columbia Health and Related Services fee on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses. This includes those at Teachers College, Union Theological Seminary, and Jewish Theological Seminary.
For those who have not paid the full-time health services fee, please email Alice! Health Promotion at [email protected] or call 212-854-5453 for support.
How do I receive infectious disease support?
If you’re feeling unwell, call ahead to make an appointment with Medical Services.
- A health care provider at Medical Services will assess your symptoms, ask for information about your contact and travel history, and will order tests, if necessary.
- If you’re suspected of having an infectious disease or the test results confirm an active infection, Medical Services will alert the Alice! Health Promotion team. An Alice! Staff member will reach out to provide you with additional assistance and support. At this time, you may be asked to isolate at home until results are available.
- If the confirmed or suspected disease is considered reportable, Medical Services must report it to NYC DOHMH. In these instances, you may receive a call from them with additional support and resources.
How much will it cost?
There is no additional cost for infectious disease support through Medical Services or Alice! Health Promotion if you have paid the full-time Columbia Health and Related Services fee.
For those who have not paid the full-time health services fee, please email Alice! Health Promotion at [email protected] or call 212-854-5453 for support.
What else do I need to know?
If you’re suspected, or confirmed, to have an infectious disease, topics you may discuss with the Alice! staff may include:
- Contact tracing for any Columbia affiliates you were in contact with during the infectious period (the time when you may transmit the virus to others).
- Close contacts will receive a notification informing them of their exposure. No personal or identifying information about you will be shared with the close contacts. You may grant permission to disclose your identity or remain anonymous.
- Notifying contacts that are non-Columbia affiliates. The team does not send contact notifications to non-Columbia affiliates but can offer guidance on how to inform them. If you’re contacted by NYC DOHMH, they may follow up with non-affiliates when appropriate.
- Notifying classmates. If you attended class during the infectious period, Alice! will send out a classroom notification stating that someone in the class tested positive for the disease. No personal or identifying information is included in the classroom notification.
Testing positive for an infectious disease can be scary, so we want to assure you that you’ll have ample support, both clinically and non-clinically, from your team at Columbia Health.
Where can I learn more about these topics?
If you want to learn more about symptoms of infectious diseases, how to prevent them, where to get help, or a current report of infectious disease outbreaks, please check out this New York City Department of Health page on infectious diseases.
Frequently Asked Questions
The isolation period varies depending on your diagnosis and clinical presentation. Some illnesses, particularly milder upper respiratory infections, may only require 24 hours of isolation if symptoms are improving and you’re fever-free without medication. Other illnesses may require longer isolation periods. For instance, the isolation period for mpox can range from two to four weeks.
If you’re on a dining plan, you may coordinate with a friend, roommate, or resident advisor to pick up food for you. If this is not an option, depending on your diagnosis, you may be able to visit the dining hall during off-peak periods to pick up food to go. Always wear a mask, maintain distance from others, avoid touching surfaces, and sanitize your hands before and after going to the dining hall.
If you’re ordering from food delivery apps, practice precautions when leaving your space to pick up food. When picking up food from the security desk or front door, wear a high-quality mask and avoid contact with the delivery person or security personnel.
Consult your course syllabus for the make-up policy for illness and other excused absences. If you’re feeling well enough to engage in the classroom, you may inquire about remote participation. If you need help with communication with faculty, a staff member can help you brainstorm the core concepts you would like to communicate. You’re not required to disclose your diagnosis to faculty or your peers.
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Vaccines help the body develop immunity to protect against infection. Although they’re highly effective, breakthrough infections (infections in people who are fully vaccinated against an illness) are possible. Vaccines can also be used as part of a protocol for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP is a preventive measure administered within a specific window following exposure. Other ways to reduce further spread of illness— particularly when isolating in a shared space—include wearing a high-quality mask, maintaining distance, and cleaning high-touch surfaces.