On March 9, the COVID-19 response team announced the revision of certain travel policies for faculty and staff.
Faculty and staff will no longer be required to quarantine or demonstrate a negative test after traveling and before returning to work, the email said.
The email said faculty and staff are encouraged to get a COVID-19 test before returning to work if they are in a high-risk environment.
“Throughout the semester, we have not seen evidence of transmission of COVID within our faculty and staff population or from faculty and staff to students,” the email said. “Therefore, we will align our travel policy with the new PA DOH guidelines, which remove quarantining and testing requirements for faculty and staff traveling out-of-state or internationally.”
Student travel restrictions will remain the same for the time being.
If a student chooses to leave campus, they are required to quarantine for 10 days or until they receive a negative test, the email said.
“Given our residential and congregate setting and acknowledging the on and off-campus interactions that occur between students who are both living on campus and with roommates off campus, we are not revising our student travel policy at this time,” the email said. “That is, we continue to advise students not to travel away from the Bethlehem area, except for emergency circumstances, as this will reduce the risk of infection and transmission of the coronavirus.”
According to the COVID-19 Dashboard, as of March 9, there are 19 total active cases among students—11 among students on campus and 8 among students living off campus.
Spring break was cancelled this semester to limit the number of students traveling away from campus, but there will be more information about Wellness Week that will start the week of March 22, the email said.
“We recognize this would traditionally be a time for many to disconnect from their studies to recharge and reconnect with family and friends in person,” the email said. “We are hopeful for the spring months ahead and committed to supporting students during this time as we work together to ensure a safe and successful remainder of the spring semester.”
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