This message was shared with the faculty, staff and students of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi system on March 10, 2020.
Aloha,
Many of our faculty, staff and students are planning to travel during the upcoming spring break. While the university does not set requirements for personal travel, everyone is encouraged to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 travel guidelines.
Everyone should postpone or cancel travel to high-risk (Level 3) countries, as designated by the CDC, and consider the same for areas with active community transmission, including within the United States. Those with underlying health conditions should consider postponing or canceling any travel.
If you travel to a CDC Level 3 Travel Advisory country (China, Iran, South Korea and Italy), the university will be adhering to recommendations that you self-quarantine for 14 days when you return and that you receive clearance from UH officials before returning to campus.
All UH faculty, students and staff must report travel (personal or work) to a CDC Level 3 Travel Advisory country and receive clearance from:
- Faculty/employees: Contact your supervisor, who will work with HR.
- Students: Contact your campus student affairs office. The responsibility for your school assignments needs to be discussed with your faculty/department.
This is a rapidly evolving situation and other countries and areas could be added to the Level 3 Travel Advisory list with little or no notice. As community transmission increases within the U.S., it is also possible that CDC will issue guidance regarding domestic travel. Travelers may encounter delays and/or face government-imposed 14-day quarantine upon return. Everyone is strongly encouraged to regularly check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 travel page and the UH COVID-19 Travel FAQ page for the latest information.
To learn more about what you can do to protect yourself from COVID-19, check out these practical tips.
Please watch for more UH updates on COVID-19 and stay informed through our UH COVID-19 web page. If you have any questions, please email: COVID19@hawaii.edu.
Mahalo,
The University of Hawaiʻi
