Guidance on Travel
We want to provide all UMMS team members with guidance around travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that people delay travel until they are up to date with vaccination, as defined by the CDC. This is because travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.
UMMS team members should reference the color-coded the UMMS Tiered Approach to Infection Prevention Practice and Presence at the Workplace (UMMS Tiered Approach) when making travel decisions. UMMS has adopted the UMMS Tiered Approach to guide our infection prevention (IP) policies and guidance. The guidance outlined in the UMMS Tiered Approach replaces the UMMS Travel Policy, which was retired in July 2021.
As of September 7, 2022, UMMS is operating at Level Yellow. The following is an overview for the travel guidance under Level Yellow. Please reference the UMMS Tiered Approach for additional information:
- All non-essential travel and international travel is discouraged if team member is not up to date with vaccination
- Travelers should follow CDC’s travel-related recommendations for quarantine and testing
Click here to review the UMMS Tiered Approach for a comprehensive chart of all infection prevention precautions.
FAQs
What are the testing and quarantine requirements following travel?
UMMS team members should reference the color-coded UMMS Tiered Approach when making travel decisions. Please also review CDC guidance on travel-related testing and quarantine.
If I want to be tested, where can I go to get a test?
If you have no symptoms and want to be tested after out-of-state travel, we ask that you use one of many options available across Maryland. You may also utilize the UMMS-provided at-home antigen tests for this purpose, which you can pick up at your local facility’s distribution site. UMMS-provided at-home antigen tests are NOT to be used for pre-travel testing. Please do not call the UMMS Employee Health Screening Hotline, Infection Prevention or Employee Health to request travel-related testing.
Do I need to report my post-travel test?
There is no need to report a negative test result, but you do need to report a positive test result per the usual process.
What should I do if I am experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 following travel or may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19?
If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, you should review the testing and return-to-work requirements detailed on the Management of COVID-19 Employee Exposure page. On this page, you will find a summary guidance chart for Conventional Staffing, as well as algorithms to follow, like what do to if you are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
I was planning to travel out of state. Should I reconsider?
UMMS team members should reference the color-coded UMMS Tiered Approach to Infection Prevention Practices (UMMS Tiered Approach) when making travel decisions. Please also follow these CDC recommendations for travel.
What guidance should be considered when hosting or attending community-facing events?
All UMMS-sponsored events should follow the guidance outlined in the UMMS Tiered Approach based on the current color-coded level, including guidelines regarding occupancy restrictions and social distancing and masking recommendations. Event organizers should also follow all applicable state and national guidelines on hosting gatherings.
What guidance should be considered when attending work-related meetings, conferences, and other off-site gatherings?
All UMMS-sponsored events should follow the guidance outlined in the UMMS Tiered Approach based on the current color-coded level, including guidelines regarding occupancy restrictions and social distancing and masking recommendations. If traveling for a work-related meeting or conference, please also follow the travel guidance outlined in the UMMS Tiered Approach and all applicable state and national guidelines on gatherings.
What measures should I take to protect myself and my children when out in the community?
Staying up to date with vaccination is the number one thing you can do to protect yourself and others. If you are not already vaccinated, make an appointment today. If you are vaccinated and eligible for a booster and have not yet received one, make an appointment today. You are encouraged to continue using the UMMS Tiered Approach even outside the workplace––where most health care worker infections are acquired––and choose to continue masking in most indoor public places. You are encouraged to also take precautions when eating in public, including:
- If you are not up to date with vaccination, whether you’re on a meal break during your shift or out to lunch on your day off, opt for eating outside, if possible, where distancing is less restrictive and airflow is better
- If you are up to date with vaccination, you should feel safer sharing mealtimes with others in small groups while community transmission is low; however, in large indoor gatherings, you should consider keeping masks on when not eating
Keep in mind that the highest risk of transmission occurs when both an infected individual and an exposed individual are unmasked. Even as little time as 5 continuous minutes (or 15 minutes in a 24-hour period) is considered a high-risk opportunity for infection.
Children are a common source of infection among team members. You can protect the children in your family by ensuring that they are up to date with vaccination and are using high-quality masks, such as KN95s, in indoor public places. You should also ask if your child’s school has taken appropriate measures, including improving air quality and requiring vaccinations for staff and eligible children.