Travel policy updated, Pennsylvania travel and masking requirements detailed

Penn State Health and the College of Medicine have updated the Travel and Quarantine policy to clarify that all travel — domestic and international — is strongly discouraged at this time. Additionally, Employees must disclose international travel plans, whether business or personal, with their manager/supervisor before departure, and again after return, before returning to the workplace.

Penn State Health and College of Medicine employees must follow the Travel and Quarantine policy and are further encouraged to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Guidelines as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s new mitigation strategies, effective Nov. 20, to slow the spread of COVID-19, including heightened masking and travel requirements.

In addition, College of Medicine employees please see the guidelines highlighted in Penn State Today this week to help guide you. If you have quarantine-related questions, please contact Penn State Occupational Medicine at 814-863-8492

For Penn State Health employees, failure to adhere to the Travel and Quarantine policy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Guidelines and the Department of Health requirements may impact WELL pay eligibility determination. If an employee voluntarily chooses not to follow guidelines as issued by Penn State Health, including travel when strongly discouraged, WELL pay may be denied.

Asymptomatic COVID testing is no longer available to employees for travel precautions.

Beginning Friday, Nov. 20, and until further notice, Pennsylvania will require anyone who visits from another state to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before entering the commonwealth or, if an individual cannot get a test or chooses not to be tested, that individual must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Pennsylvania.

Additionally, Pennsylvanians who are visiting other states are required to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before their return to the commonwealth or to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania.

Masks are required to be worn indoors and outdoors if you are away from your home. When outdoors, a mask must be worn if you are not able to remain physically distant (at least 6 feet away) from someone not in your household the entire time you are outdoors.

When indoors, masks are now required — even if you are physically distant from members not in your household. This means that even if you are able to be 6 feet apart, you must wear a mask while inside if with people other than members of your household.

Stay Safe, Stay Informed, Stay Vigilant

Resources and Reminders:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Guidelines
• Pennsylvania Department of Health Travel Guidelines
• Practice essential health and safety protocols including social distancing (i.e. maintaining at least six feet from others), wear a mask in public places, frequently wash/sanitize your hands and avoid facial touching.
• Avoid large group activities with individuals outside of your same household.
• Avoid public places, especially indoor restaurants and bars, and other events that do not adhere to social distancing or enforce universal masking.
• Monitor yourself every day for changes in your health and symptoms of COVID-19 (see definition of symptoms at the end of this policy).
• Avoid contact with any individual exhibiting COVID-19-like symptoms or with someone who is positive or suspected to have COVID-19.
• Employees should ensure they are monitoring and complying with local and state guidelines and limitations while traveling.

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