Coronavirus
(COVID-19)
Information Center
Policy Overview: Lehigh’s travel policies take into account recommendations and guidelines from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention; in some cases, there may be additional Lehigh-specific requirements. Read below for specific travel requirements for students, faculty and staff. These are subject to change as conditions and guidance evolve, and any updates should be followed. Note that travel quarantine requirements may differ from medically required quarantine for those who were exposed to the virus.
Student Travel: During the semester, students should not travel away from the Bethlehem area, except for emergency circumstances, as this will reduce the risk of infection and transmission of the coronavirus. This includes trips home to visit family and friends, and especially to other college campuses or for related social activities. For students who travel outside of Bethlehem during the semester, their return to campus will require a Travel/Return to Campus Protocol.
Travel guidance for students who test positive for COVID-19 or are identified as a close contact of an individual who tested positive: Students are required to follow Lehigh’s Isolation and Quarantine Protocol in the event they test positive for the virus or are identified as a close contact.
Faculty and Staff Travel: University-related travel must receive Dean, Vice President, or Provost approval. For personal travel, before returning to work Lehigh requires that faculty and staff leaving Pennsylvania either quarantine for 14 days upon returning home OR complete a COVID-19 test just prior to or upon their return to Pennsylvania; for the latter, employees who demonstrate a negative test result would only be required to quarantine until they receive their negative result. These requirements do not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment.
This policy is specific to travel. For faculty and staff following "medically required" quarantine because they came into close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, the Lehigh Valley Health Network consultant will continue to use the 14-day guideline when clearing faculty and staff to return to work (i.e., you cannot "test out" of medically required quarantine).
Students who have applied for fall study abroad are working directly with program providers, who are continuing to adjust their schedules based on local conditions. ITAC will continue to monitor conditions that will affect study abroad programs directed by our partner providers.
We ask all students to avoid travel as much as possible outside of the Bethlehem area once they arrive for the spring semester, except for emergency circumstances, as this will reduce the risk of infection and transmission of the coronavirus. This includes trips home to visit family and friends, and especially to other college campuses or for related social activities.
For students who travel outside of Bethlehem during the semester, they should follow all requirements set by the PA DOH and Lehigh upon return, including testing and quarantining requirements.
Our success in returning to our vibrant on-campus experience will take the efforts of all of us, individually and collectively. We welcome your questions, ideas and suggestions.