Travel

Last updated September 23, 2020

Before travel, consult the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.

Effective 9/21/20, the interim North Dakota State Health Officer has rescinded the order requiring 14 days of quarantine upon arrival in ND following foreign travel. 

Don’t travel if you are sick or if you have been around someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. Don’t travel with someone who is sick.

University-Sponsored Travel

University of North Dakota’s (UND) travel guidelines are subject to change and may be stricter than North Dakota (ND) and CDC guidelines to ensure the health and safety of our community.   

University-sponsored travel for employees and students will follow the UND Safety Level Guidelines. 

CDC Travel Guidance

NDDOH Travel Guidance

All personnel must review and follow UND’s Required Reporting Procedures for Employees, all other directives posted on UND’s COVID-19 website, and any additional department-specific procedures or guidelines. Departments are responsible to communicate any additional procedures/guidelines to affected personnel.

If traveling out of state, travelers and approvers should review the state or local government travel guidelines requirements. See state/territorial health agency websites.

Mitigation strategies are to be reviewed and followed before, during and after travel.

In general, international travel is suspended.

Non-international travel for faculty, staff and students is allowed with pre-approval from sponsoring department and the appropriate Vice President, CEO or Athletic Director.

Regardless of the mode of transportation, some travel destinations may require additional strategies, such as self-isolation or quarantine upon arrival or return.

If someone becomes sick during travel, they must immediately isolate themselves and inform their supervisor, professor or coach.

Travel approval is subject to revocation at any time at the discretion of the President/VP/CEO/Athletic Director.

Employee Travel Request Process

1. Employee completes the “Travel Plan and Approval” template. If more than one employee is traveling for the same field/project work, the project manager may complete the travel and approval template for all travelers; however, all travelers must receive and review this document. The plan must include any exceptions to, and alternate plans for, the mitigation strategies outlined
2. Employee routes “Travel Plan and Approval” (see the Approval Routing Tab on the template). Department Chair/EERC Director > Dean/EERC VP/AVP >VP/CEO/Athletic Director.
3. Upon approval, a copy of the approved plan is sent to the area VP/CEO/Director.
4. Dean/or equivalent maintains a copy of the approved travel plan.

DOWNLOAD TRAVEL PLAN AND APPROVAL TEMPLATE

Before Departure

• Maximum of two persons/vehicle. If more than one person is in a vehicle, face coverings (cloth or surgical) will be worn by both individuals, unless individuals are from same household.
• Temperature screening (self-taken) and self-assessment will be performed prior to departure (see self-assessment section below). If temperature is 100.4°F or higher, or any other COVID symptoms are being experienced by the employee, the employee will not travel and will report situation to the employee’s supervisor/field supervisor.

While on the Road

• Avoid close contact by staying at least 6 feet apart (about 2 arms’ length) from anyone who is not from your household.
• Face coverings (cloth or surgical) are required to be worn in public areas where compliance with the 6-foot physical distancing between persons cannot be adhered to.
• Wear gloves when handling gas pump handles, windshield washing equipment, etc. at gas stations.  Use disinfectant wipes if available to wipe down gas pump handles and highly touched surfaces (keypad on gas pump).
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Avoid contact with anyone who is sick.
• Take rest breaks as needed, self-assess, and assess others. Stop if tired.
• Travel under the assumption that restaurants may be closed and grocery stores will have modified hours. Individuals should stock their own personal supplies (e.g., food, snacks, drinks, etc.).  Use drive through food, delivery, curb-side pick-up, or take out venues versus dining indoors.
• Use touchless payment whenever possible.
• Do not share clothing (face covering/gloves, etc.) or food (chips, snacks, drinks).

While Working Off-Site

• Work autonomously as much as possible; maintain >6 feet of physical distancing with others whenever possible.
• Work out of vehicle or in dedicated rooms whenever possible.
• Frequently sanitize work areas and equipment.
• Minimize contact with others and wear a face covering when encountering/working with others.   
• Enter other buildings only when necessary.
• Employees should assume that activities may take more time or require new approaches: Incorporate extra time to complete tasks in your daily planning.
• Schedule regular break times to ensure employees stay rested.  Physical distancing will be maintained during all group break times.
• Pause and assess unfamiliar situations as they arise, mentally step through the activity, perform a risk identification, and implement pertinent remediation actions.

Overnight Stay

• If travel time requires overnight stay, daily self-assessments will be performed.  
• Identify the location of your overnight stay on the approval form. It may be necessary to stay in a community that is farther away from your work location if the closest community is experiencing increasing active cases of COVID-19.
• No more than one person per room unless person is from your household.

Face Covering

1. Please review CDC guidance for the use of face coverings.
2. Individuals who are unable to wear a face covering may be determined to be ineligible to participate in activities requiring travel, unless alternative risk mitigation strategies are identified and approved in the Travel Plan and Approval template.

Temperature and Self-Assessment Screening for Travelers

1. Have you traveled outside of the country in the past 14 days?
2. Do you have a fever ≥100.4°F?
3. Do you have any of symptoms of COVID-19: fever and cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, or runny nose?
4. Are you considered a “close contact” to a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or has been in isolation for COVID-19 in the last 14 days?

After you Travel

• You may have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels. You may feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can be contagious without symptoms and spread the virus to others. You and your travel companions (including children) pose a risk to your family, friends, and community for 14 days after you were exposed to the virus. Regardless of where you traveled or what you did during your trip, take these actions to protect others from getting sick after you return:
• When around others, stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household. It is important to do this everywhere, both indoors and outdoors.
• Wear a face covering to keep your nose and mouth covered when you are outside of your home.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).
• Watch your health and look for symptoms of COVID-19. Take your temperature if you feel sick.
• Stay home as much as possible.
• Avoid being around people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Consider getting tested for COVID-19.

*Portions of above information copied from CDC.