COVID-19 Resources

Before entering campus, you are expected to practice self-monitoring. These guidelines are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Illinois Department of Public Health.

Please ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you have a fever of 100.4 or higher in the last 24 hours?
• Do you have any of the following symptoms that cannot be explained by another illness or condition?
  • Cough.
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
  • Fever or chills.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Fatigue.
  • Muscle pain or body aches.
  • Sore throat.
  • New loss of taste or smell.
  • Headache.
  • Congestion or runny nose.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
• Have you come in close contact with someone who has a lab-confirmed case of COVID-19?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, do not come to campus. It is recommended that you contact your instructor(s) as detailed in the syllabus that you will miss class. Highland does not have a health clinic on campus. If you have further questions, contact your health care provider.

It’s important to remember that cold, allergy, flu and COVID-19 symptoms may present in a similar way. Please continue to monitor for symptoms and use caution in determining whether or not to come to campus, and to test for COVID-19 if you are ill.

Based on a request from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), all state community colleges post current and cumulative COVID-19 cases on their websites. This information is updated weekly, or as needed with a positive case. View Highland’s dashboard, along with the metrics our Emergency Operations Team use to implement mitigation strategies.

The CDC provides more information about Covid-19 testing, including when to get tested and information about the types of tests available. Locally, low or no-cost testing is available at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies along with FHN’s Shield testing location (available 7 – 11 a.m. on Thursdays) and through most healthcare providers.

COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters as well as flu shots are available locally. More information about FHN’s flu vaccination clinics and COVID-19 vaccination information is available online. Check with local pharmacy websites for information about how to make a vaccination appointment.

Visit the federal government’s COVID-19 Toolkit to order free COVID-19 tests, and search for locations within your ZIP code to get a vaccination or booster at vaccines.gov.

Additional help — including the CONTACT of Northern Illinois Crisis Line, healthcare, food pantries and unemployment — can be found in Highland’s Community Resources Guide.

If you are waiting for COVID-19 test results, due to symptoms or potential exposure, please do not come to the Highland Community College campus. Students should reach out to their instructors, and employees should contact their immediate supervisor.

Students and employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 should not come to campus for in-person classes. Please communicate with your instructor(s) on alternative delivery options. You also need to contact Student Development and Support Services Vice President Liz Gerber at 815-599-3531. Employees should report positive results to Christie Lewis in Human Resources at 815-599-3609.

Highland does not require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, but you are welcome to provide your records.

Online: Take a photo or scan your vaccination card any time from your phone or computer. Get started with our online form.

In-person: Bring your card to an enrollment staff member on the first or second floor of the Student/Conference Center (Building H) during regular business hours.

Therapist Ashley Abate from New Horizons Counseling Center is available for virtual appointments 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tuesdays and 2 – 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Other times are available for scheduling by request. To schedule an appointment, please send an email to counseling@highland.edu to schedule an appointment.

For urgent behavioral health concerns, please contact liz.gerber@highland.edu. If necessary, the online incident report is available.

We have multiple spaces available for students to Zoom classes while on campus. Please make sure to bring your own listening device and wipe down your area before and after use.

Computers Available for Zoom

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Highland Community College has received funds to provide emergency financial grants to students.

These include the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act and the American Rescue Plan (ARP), as well as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Learn more about these federal grants and find answers to frequently asked questions at the links above.