Travel Restrictions

UTMB Health is committed to the well-being of our faculty, staff, students, patients, visitors and communities. We also have a responsibility to ensure a healthy workforce in order to safely and effectively fulfill our education, research and patient care missions. Therefore, consistent with University of Texas System guidance, UTMB Health continues to maintain some restrictions, requirements and guidelines for faculty, staff and student travel.

The instructions on this page cover both university-sponsored and personal travel and will be in effect until further notice. Be sure to read the “Key Points” for general reminders.

Key Points

  • Individuals who travel domestically or internationally during the ongoing global pandemic may:
    • Be exposed to and spread the virus that causes COVID-19, even if they do not exhibit symptoms;
    • Be required to self-quarantine at home for 7 to 10 days upon return, depending on circumstances, as determined by UTMB and/or the local health authority;
    • Be unable to return home on schedule, due to mid-trip developments at their destination;
    • Be subject to federal quarantine, possibly at a location far removed from their home; and/or
    • Become ill with COVID-19, with potentially serious health implications.
  • To ensure a safe and healthy work and learning environment:
    • Employees and students at a UTMB location are required to be healthy and able to carry out the functions of their job/coursework.
    • Managers are responsible for assessing staff and must remove employees who are ill from the workplace.
    • Faculty are responsible for sending students home if they come to class while ill.
  • Faculty, staff and students may be subject to disciplinary action if they do not follow requirements for Sick/Exposed individuals or the Return On-Site requirements after travel.
  • All travelers are responsible for knowing the current conditions and restrictions for their destination as well as UTMB’s approval, reporting and return-on-site requirements.

When planning, travelers should take into account the potential for testing and/or isolation that may be required before returning to work/school at a UTMB location.

Links & Contacts

Top Level Resources Buttons

Student Health (409) 747-9508
stdwappt@utmb.edu
Employee Health

(409) 747-9172
emphlthc@utmb.edu

M-F 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Report Approved or Personal Travel

Resources for International Travel

If planning international travel, refer to these sources often—before and throughout your trip, and as you plan your return to the U.S.:

Business Travel

Remote meeting options are strongly encouraged whenever possible.

Travel Info Cards

International Business Travel  (which includes Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico)

International Business Travel
(includes Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico)

  • Effective May 31, 2022, international business-related travel for conferences, meetings and collaborations is no longer prohibited due to COVID-19.
  • All faculty, staff and students of the Academic Enterprise must follow the required process for requesting international travel. See the June 2, 2022, message from the Office of the Provost and the AE Travel Page (login required) for more detail on process and any additional considerations not related to COVID-19.
  • If you do not report to the Academic Enterprise and have a business-related need for international travel, contact your department leadership for guidance.
  • Approved travel must also be documented on UTMB’s Travel Reporting Form to aid contact tracing should it be necessary. (The Travel Reporting Form is not part of the approval process.)
  • Please note that this guidance may be rescinded if warranted by conditions globally. 
  • All travelers must continue to follow the “Return On-Site” requirements after travel. 
Domestic Business Travel

Domestic Business Travel

  • Domestic travel is long-distance, overnight travel by public conveyance (e.g., aircraft, train, bus, ships, shared rides, etc.) or by personal vehicle to locations within the 50 United States. This excludes one’s usual commute to work or day trips to neighboring cities.
  • UTMB-sponsored or work-related domestic travel is allowed, however, remote meeting options are strongly encouraged.

Personal Travel

Travel Info Cards

Personal Travel

UTMB does not prohibit personal travel while an employee is on approved leave. Managers should continue to approve time-off requests in accordance with their established departmental procedures if staffing permits. However, we strongly encourage all faculty, staff and students to be aware that:

  • International travel is considered high-risk and testing/quarantine requirements may change quickly in response to COVID surges and new variants.
  • This could affect your ability to come home and return to work/school in a timely manner.
  • If you are an employee, personal leave accruals and/or leave without pay must be used to cover any additional time off required due to illness, quarantine periods or travel delays related to personal travel.
  • All travelers must follow the “Return On-Site” requirements.

Return On-Site After Travel or Leave

Travel Info Cards

Return from International Travel

International Travel

Any individual who is away from a UTMB location for any length of time while outside the U.S. must follow these return-to-work/school requirements:

  • If fully vaccinated (meaning it has been at least 2 weeks since your second shot of the Pfizer/Moderna vaccine or since your single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine):
    • A molecular COVID test is required 3 to 5 days after return.
    • If you are asymptomatic upon return, no off-site isolation is required unless your test comes back positive or you develop symptoms.
  • If not fully vaccinated (meaning you have not completed all required shots for your vaccine or it has been less than two weeks since you completed them):
    • A molecular COVID test is required 3 to 5 days after return.
    • You must not report to work or class on-site until you receive negative results on your test.
  • Any traveler who does not get the required COVID test upon return must be on isolation off-site for a full 10 days, regardless of vaccination status.
  • It is the traveler’s responsibility to understand UTMB’s return-to-work/school requirements (including implications for leave balances) and plan accordingly.
Return from Domestic Leave

Domestic Leave

Routine COVID testing is NOT REQUIRED for anyone who has been away from a UTMB location for any duration and remained within the U.S. or is returning to a UTMB location from a temporary teleworking assignment UNLESS:

  • You are symptomatic.
    • Contact Employee Health at (409) 747-9172 or emphlthc@utmb.edu or Student Health at stdwappt@utmb.edu or  (409) 747-9508.
    • A molecular COVID test is required prior to your return-to-work/class date at a UTMB location, regardless of your vaccination status.
    • You may only return to work/class with a negative molecular COVID test once symptoms have subsided.
  • You have been in contact with anyone within the last 14 days who is COVID positive.
  • Employee Health hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; office is closed noon to 1 p.m.