The School of Public Health has largely restricted all work-related travel for the past year to preserve our workforce and allow us to serve our community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As we move from the various phases of restrictions due to the pandemic, the School of Public Health will transition to the University of Washington’s policy for work-related and personal travel. The School will no longer have a separate policy.
We look forward to the time when we can end all restrictions on travel, but we are not there yet. As we have seen increases in both COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, we remind everyone to continue to wear masks, physically distance and avoid large gatherings. We also encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Please review the UW’s travel policy for complete details. Here are a few of the key provisions:
International travel: Work-related travel outside the US by UW employees and students continues to be restricted until further notice. The University encourages employees to avoid personal travel outside of the US and to review applicable travel warnings.
Domestic travel: Employees are strongly encouraged to cancel or postpone domestic university travel that is not essential to business, academic or research continuity. Supervisors approving travel for employees should use their best judgment.
CDC guidelines: Before, during and after traveling, employees must follow the current guidelines for testing, symptom monitoring and self-isolation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Please note that these instructions are based on whether or not the traveler is fully vaccinated, and they are different for domestic and international travel. In addition, travelers should wear masks and take over public health precautions at all times.
We strive to keep our workforce healthy and safe so that we can provide a consistent high-quality level of service to our students and our community. We also appreciate the impact and disruption this has on our community and all of us as we work to support one another.
(Updated April 15, 2021)