Primary Care Health Service
If you need to contact Primary Care Health Service, our phone number is 212-854-2091.
PCHS is open for all clinical services for the fall semester as of August 29th, 2022. Please see hours below.
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PCHS clinical hours are:
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Monday through Friday: 9am to 5pm.
- Our office is closed for a staff meeting Tuesdays from 12-1:30pm.
- We are open for appointments from 9:30am to 4pm every weekday.
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For those urgent or potentially dangerous medical situations that cannot wait until Primary Care reopens, telephone advice is available after hours. The after-hours clinician on call, Fonemed, is only available after PCHS operating hours, and only for currently enrolled students. Please see the third menu option below for more information about the after-hours line, including the phone number.
Our mission is:
To provide excellent clinical health care to Barnard students of all genders and identities in a sensitive, nonjudgmental and responsive manner. To promote the health of body, mind, and spirit within the student community. To educate students to become knowledgeable and effective users of health care. Services are available to all students regardless of insurance status.
Learn more about our services and what we offer here.
You can find our hours, forms you may need to complete, and insurance information here as well.
Barnard College is closely monitoring the emergence of the monkeypox outbreak in New York City. We are working with our colleagues at CUIMC, Columbia Health and the NYCDOHMH in the development of identification, treatment and prevention of this virus. Please read below for the latest information about the virus.
What is the monkeypox virus?
Monkeypox is a virus similar to smallpox, but symptoms are less severe. It was discovered in 1958, after outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research. Over the summer of 2022, numerous cases have been confirmed in New York City and its surrounding areas as well as other parts of the United States and many countries around the world. On July 23, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency. And on August 4, the United States declared it a public health emergency.
How does the virus spread?
The monkeypox virus can spread from person to person through close physical contact with infectious lesions or pustules, by touching items — like clothing or bedding — that previously touched the rash, or via the respiratory droplets produced by coughing or sneezing. Monkeypox can also be transmitted from a birthing parent to fetus via the placenta or through close contact during and after birth. While monkeypox can be transmitted during sexual activity, it is not considered a sexually transmitted infection
What are the symptoms?
People who get sick commonly experience a fever, headache, back and muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and exhaustion. A few days after getting a fever, most people also develop a rash that starts with flat red marks that become raised and filled with pus. On average, symptoms appear within six to 13 days of exposure but can take up to three weeks.
Who is at risk for getting monkeypox? Monkeypox spreads through close, physical contact between people. This means anyone can get monkeypox. A person’s sexual orientation or gender identity does not put them at higher risk of infection; close contact to an infected person puts them at greater risk of infection.
What are the preventative measures for the monkeypox virus?
Take the following steps to prevent getting monkeypox:
- Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
- Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
- Do not kiss, hug, cuddle, or have sex with someone with monkeypox.
- Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with monkeypox has used.
- Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.
- Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom.
For more thorough information, please go to the CDC website
What should I do if I think I have been exposed to monkeypox or possibly have it?
There is no way to test for monkeypox if you have only flu-like symptoms. But if you start to notice red lesions, you should contact an urgent care center or your primary care physician, who can order a monkeypox test. If you are a student, please call PCHS to speak to a provider at 212-854-2091 during normal business hours. Isolate at home as soon as you develop symptoms, and wear high-quality masks if you must come in contact with others for medical care.
What is the treatment for monkeypox?
If you get sick, the treatment for monkeypox generally involves symptom management. Tecovirimat, a hard-to-obtain antiviral drug also known as TPOXX, occasionally can be used for severe cases. The Jynneos vaccine, which protects against smallpox and monkeypox, can also help reduce symptoms, even if taken after exposure.
Who is eligible for the vaccine?
Jynneos vaccine is most commonly used to prevent monkeypox infections and consists of two doses given four weeks apart. Due to limited supplies, it has mostly been offered to healthcare workers and people who have had a confirmed or suspected monkeypox exposure, though new doses should become available in the coming months. A few states, including New York, have also made vaccines available among higher-risk populations.
PCHS does not have access to obtaining or offering the vaccine for monkeypox at this time.
What is the status of the monkeypox virus in New York City?
Please click here for the NYCDOHMH and its latest data around monkeypox.
For the latest national information please refer to the CDC website.
If you have tested positive for COVID outside of the Barnard testing center, please follow these steps in reporting the result to the college:
1. Take a picture of the test result-either of the test itself if it is a rapid test or the lab result if it was a PCR
2. Open up the CoVerified App and tap the "Records" icon on the bottom of the screen
3. Once on the "Records" screen, tap the "+" sign at the bottom of the screen and choose "upload test result" and complete the information.
4. Once you have uploaded the information, a nurse will be in contact with you between 9:00 am and 9:00pm to verify isolation date and discuss next steps
Barnard Primary Care Health Service recognizes that serious illness will not always be confined to weekday, daytime hours.
For those urgent or potentially dangerous situations that cannot wait until Primary Care reopens, telephone advice is available after hours.
This service is not intended for the following:
- Reporting a +COVID test result
- Contraception refill requests
- Referral requests
- Location and operation hours of PCHS requests
- Scheduling/Confirming/Canceling appointment requests
- Vaccine information requests
The Clinician On Call is only available when the Primary Care Health Service is NOT open and will be available to currently enrolled students.
- During regular business hours, 9 AM - 5 PM, Monday - Friday, please call Primary Care directly at 212-854-2091.
- To access the Clinician-on-Call please call 855-622-1903.
We hope you stay healthy day and night … but if an after-hours emergency arises, the Clinician On Call is available to help.
We are continually monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, along with our partners at Columbia University Health systems and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH). The health and well-being of all members of our community is our top priority. Below is information about transmission, symptoms, diagnosis for the virus, preventive measures, and resources to contact immediately if you have any symptoms.
Transmission: Like other coronaviruses, this new virus is spread through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, but can also be transmitted on surfaces such as handles and knobs.
Symptoms:
- Fever (>100.4F)
- Runny nose
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Inability to smell and/or taste
- General feeling of being unwell
Faculty/Staff: Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly encouraged to contact a medical provider over the phone to discuss their symptoms.
Students: Whether you are local or not, students are free to discuss your symptoms with a provider in Primary Care who can direct you to either self-monitoring or to seeking an in-person evaluation of your symptoms. Please call us at 212-854-2091 during the hours of 9:30-4:30pm EST, Monday-Thursday, 9:30-1:00pm EST, Friday. If it is not during these hours, you can call the Clinician-on-call at 877-788-8819.
Preventive Measures: There is currently no vaccine to prevent this virus. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed. Below are the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommended preventive measures to help control the spread of respiratory pathogens:
- Stay home! Keep at least 6 feet away from others as much as possible. As difficult as this may be, this has been shown to be most protective.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Especially avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Wear a cloth or paper mask/covering over your nose and mouth if you must go outside. This does not replace all of the above precautions, but it can possibly add additional protection for you and for others around you. Please do not use an N95 respirator – this should be reserved for health care providers only. If you have a reserve of these, please donate these to your local hospital or urgent care clinic. This can be life-saving for those on the front lines!
Location:
Lower Level Brooks Hall
Phone: 1-212-854-2091
Fax: 1-212-854-2702
Hours:
The PCHS is open for clinical care during the academic year. We are closed for all College holidays.
For more information about our clinical hours please click here.
Administrative Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
The PCHS closes every Tuesday from 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM for a staff meeting.
If you've recently had an appointment with us, we'd love to hear your feedback on your experience at PCHS. Click here to access our survey.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault or other physical violence, please click on the link below for a list of the resources available to you at Barnard: Nondiscrimination and Title IX