Updated Travel Guidance
Posted April 16, 2021
April 16, 2020
Dear Campus Community,
On April 2, 2021, the CDC released updated guidance for individuals traveling internationally and domestically. This new guidance differentiates travel requirements for unvaccinated individuals and those who are fully vaccinated. People are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. This guidance is about travel that is different from your everyday activities, away from your local community.
University-related Travel
Approved University-related travel will be permitted. Individuals approved for University-related travel are expected to follow the appropriate CDC recommendations and requirements, the requirements of their destination, and SIUE’s COVID travel guidelines. CDC travel guidelines include:
Personal Travel
Employees engaging in personal travel are also expected to follow the appropriate CDC recommendations and requirements above, the requirements of their destination, and SIUE’s COVID travel guidelines below.
Unvaccinated Employees
Individuals who travel and utilized shared transportation like airlines, buses, trains, taxis, and rideshares AND/OR travel to a county with a high level of transmission (“red zone”) as identified by the CDC Domestic COVID Data Tracker are expected to:
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Stay away from campus upon return for 10 days after travel or
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Get tested with a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home for 7 days after travel, even if the employee tests negative.
Employees electing to take a PCR test using the SIUE saliva test (3-5 days after travel) may ONLY visit the testing site at their scheduled test time. Employees must then leave campus, receive negative test results, and complete the remainder of their “7 days away” before returning for on-ground work on day 8. No additional testing will be necessary.
Please note that the University will now utilize the CDC Domestic COVID Data Tracker and CDC International Travel Recommendations maps.
Vaccinated Employees
Individuals who have been vaccinated do NOT need to be tested or self-quarantine after travel.
Employees who have Recovered from COVID-19
Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 within 90 days prior do not need to get tested or stay away from campus after travel provided that a self-disclosure report was previously submitted.
Employees Needing to Quarantine
Employees following CDC guidelines and needing to quarantine post-travel should work with their supervisors in advance to determine how the employee can report their quarantine time using the following options:
- Vacation
- Sick time (if sick)
- Unpaid leave
- Remote work (if authorized)
University-related Student Travel
Students participating in university-related travel, including student organizations and club sports, are expected to follow the appropriate CDC recommendations and requirements, the requirements of their destination, and SIUE’s COVID travel guidelines as well as relevant IDPH guidelines for All Sports. A process is currently being developed for student group travel that will include submission and approval of a travel safety plan.
Implementation
As we transition today to using the CDC Domestic COVID Data Tracker and away from the Harvard map, we are aware that there may be slight differences in reporting of risk-level. Therefore, for the purposes of implementation, we ask that unvaccinated employees traveling to a location that may be “red” on the CDC Domestic COVID Data Tracker but was not “red” on the Harvard map, work with their supervisors to discuss available work options during their quarantine period.
Individuals following CDC guidelines and needing to quarantine post-travel should work with their supervisors in advance to determine remote work and paid time off options.
We encourage individuals to monitor and evaluate the risk of traveling to areas with a high level of community transmission. The CDC has developed the following COVID trackers to assist with travel planning:
- CDC Domestic COVID Data Tracker
- CDC International Travel Recommendations
- US State Department Country Specific Information
Stay safe and be well,
Randy Pembrook, Chancellor
Denise Cobb, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Jessica Harris, Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Rachel Stack, Vice Chancellor for Advancement
Morris Taylor, Vice Chancellor for Administration
Jeffrey Waple, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
