Travel Guidance Related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Members of the Tufts student, faculty, and staff community:

We continue to monitor the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 along with local public-health partners in Medford, Somerville, Boston, and Grafton. As of March 4, cases have been reported in 76 countries, including cases in the United States. The CDC has issued travel guidance for China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, and South Korea and recommends that individuals avoid all non-essential travel to these countries.

As the situation is evolving rapidly, we offer the following updates to travel guidance for students, faculty, and staff.

OUTBOUND TRAVEL

• From now until further notice, all travel by students, faculty, and staff on university-related or funded business to countries with a CDC Level 3 travel warning for COVID-19 (China, South Korea, Iran, and Italy) is prohibited. In rare instances, exceptions may be granted by the provost with the approval of the dean of the relevant school. If you have questions about this travel restriction, please contact Diana Chigas, senior international officer and associate provost (diana.chigas@tufts.edu). All travel to any additional countries for which the CDC raises the travel warning to Level 3 will also be restricted. We expect that the list of countries with a CDC Level 3 warning may change quickly as the situation evolves.
• University-supported travel to other international destinations over spring break for co-curricular (e.g., student treks) and non-credit bearing student research is suspended, although we expect very few groups to be affected. Further guidance on summer programming will be forthcoming soon.
• Students traveling to a CDC Level 2 warning country (currently Japan) must obtain approval from the International Travel Review Committee for their travel.
• Until further notice, all faculty and staff will be required to register any university-connected or sponsored travel with the Tufts Travel Registry. Students are already required to register their university-connected or supported travel with the Travel Registry and should continue to do so. Registering your travel with the Tufts Travel Registry gives you access to up-to-date information from International SOS and access to medical services while abroad.
• While these restrictions do not apply to personal travel, we strongly urge anyone considering either personal or university-related trips to impacted areas for any length of time (including countries with CDC Level 1 and Level 2 travel warnings) to cancel their plans immediately. We also discourage non-essential international travel to non-impacted areas for the time being, as the situation is evolving rapidly, and your travel will likely be disrupted. You may become subject to government restrictions with little notice, have difficulty returning home, and will be subject to any restrictions in place at the time of your return. In those instances, Tufts University will not be able to intervene on your behalf. If you do choose to travel, Tufts urges you to:
• • Monitor any entry restrictions, quarantines, or isolation protocols for any countries towhich you are considering traveling as these are changing daily. The CDC websiteprovides updated information, as well as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), U.S. Department of State, and International SOS.
  • Update the Tufts Travel Registry with your trip itinerary and dates if your travel plans change.
  • Ensure that you take basic precautions recommended by the CDC, including avoiding contact with sick people and cleaning your hands often by washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60 percent to 95 percent alcohol. Remember to cover your cough with your upper sleeve or elbow, avoid sharing drinks/food/cigarettes and vaping products, and, if you share a room or apartment with someone who is sick, stay at least six feet away to prevent exposure through coughing.

INBOUND TRAVEL

For inbound travelers who arrive on campus, the following guidance applies:

For those arriving from CDC Level 3 warning countries—currently China, South Korea, Iran, and Italy—Tufts prohibits faculty, students, staff, and visitors from returning to campus, even if symptom-free, for 14 days and must self-quarantine in accordance with the guidance issued by the CDC.

• All students, faculty, and staff, and any visitors returning from an affected area (CDC Level 2 and 3 warning) will be required to fill out a travel form upon their return. This will assist the university to monitor the situation on campus and to provide any needed assistance to those in need.
• Tufts strongly encourages visitors from all CDC Level 2 and 3 affected countries to postpone their visits to Tufts at this time. Visitors arriving from CDC Level 3 travel warning countries will be prohibited from coming to campus and must self-quarantine in accordance with the guidance issued by the CDC.
• Students, faculty, and staff returning from US cities where there have been cases of COVID-19should also be mindful and seek medical care if they have both a fever and cough.

Key Contacts

• For general health and safety questions related to travel, please contact Tufts Global Operations office at internationalsafety@tufts.edu or 617-627-3981.
• If you experience an urgent issue (medical/security) while traveling internationally, please call International SOS at 215-942-8226.
• If you are a student studying abroad and have any questions about your program, please contact Tufts Global Education at globaleducation@tufts.edu or 617-627-2000.
• For questions about travel restrictions, please contact the Senior International Officer and Associate Provost (diana.chigas@tufts.edu).
• If you are required to self-quarantine and do not have off-campus residential options where you can do so, please contact the student affairs office in your school.

We will continue to monitor the situation and update the community as needed. Thank you for taking steps to travel safely.

Nadine Aubry

Provost and Senior Vice President

Mike Howard

Executive Vice President

Diana Chigas

Senior International Officer and Associate Provost