Environmental Health & Safety

Travel Guidance For UCR Personnel

Follow all CDC Guidance on Travel

Travel increases your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19. Delay travel until you are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines or stay home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. 

The CDC continues to recommend that people wear Masksin indoor public transportation setting such as planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

For the following guidance, people are considered up to date after receiving all recommended doses in their primarty series COVID-19 vaccine, and a booster dose when eligible. 

University-Related Travel

• Essential University-related travel must be registered with UC Away. If you are traveling for university-related business, please consider whether you can participate remotely (e.g., via online platforms or teleconference) or delay travel to a later date.

Register with UC Away

Domestic Travel Plans

View CDC guidelines for Domestic Travel

All Travelers

• Delay travel until you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
• Check your destination's COVID-19 situation before traveling.
• After you travel, self monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.

Domestic Travel For People who are Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines

• People who are up to date with an FDA-approved or authorized vaccine or a vaccine authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization can travel safely within the United States.
• You do not need to get tested or self-quarantine if you are up to date or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months. 

Domestic Travel For Unvaccinated People

• Before you travel, get tested with a viral test as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days) before your trip.
  • Isolate if you test positive or develop COVID-19 symptoms.
• After your travel, get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 5 days after travel.
  • Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
  • If you test positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.

International Travel Plans

View CDC guidelines for International Travel.

From the CDC: International Travel Requirements

Do not travel internationally until you are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.

All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to show a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than 1 day before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States. See the CDC Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

International Travel for People who are Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines

• Understand and follow airline and destination requirements related to travel, mask wearing, testing, or quarantine, which may differ from U.S. requirements.
• Check the current COVID-19 situation for your destination.
• Before you arrive in the United States, all air passengers, including U.S. Citizens and people who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, are required to show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 1 day before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States. 
• After your travel, get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.

International Travel For Unvaccinated People

• Understand and follow airline and destination requirements related to travel, testing, or quarantine, which may differ from U.S. requirements.
• Before you arrive in the United States, all air passengers are required to show a negative COVID-19 test raken no more than 1 day before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States. 
• After your travel, get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after your trip AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 5 days after travel, regardless of test results. If you test positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
• UCR travelers will not be allowed to return to campus until after the quarantine ends. Accordingly, faculty and staff should be in touch with their supervisors to determine measures for remote work. Similarly, students should be in contact with their instructors and academic advisors to identify appropriate measures to complete required assignments or tests.

International Travel For All Travelers

• If you decide to travel outside of the United States, please be aware that the CDC may issue new international travel warnings without notice, potentially resulting in limited or delayed flights and possible quarantine upon re-entry. Please ensure that your family and friends are aware of your travel plans and how to reach you.

UC Travel Insurance - COVID-19 FAQ's

The UC has arranged for employees and students traveling on official university business to be covered for a wide variety of accidents and incidents while away from the campus or primary workplace. Review the UC Travel Insurance Coverage for more information.

Who is Covered under the UC Travel Policy?
University travelers include employees, medical residents, students, fellows, and guests with travel paid by the University.  Personal travel such as vacation travel, is not covered by the UC Travel program.

How can I find out what is covered by the UC Travel policy?

The UC Travel generally covers emergency services, so routine health services would not be covered.  The most frequently used coverage is the accident medical and security extraction coverage.

With the COVID 19 crisis, the most common benefit used is the trip cancellation/interruption coverage. A summary of the benefits is located here: 

Staff/Faculty Travel Insurance Benefits
Student Travel Insurance Benefits

The benefits summary has an exclusion for “bacterial or viral infection.”  Is there coverage if I get sick due to Coronavirus and have to be hospitalized? 

Coverage decisions are made by the insurance carrier Chubb and we have been informed that Coronavirus is a medical condition, thus if the disease is contracted while traveling overseas under this policy the medical benefit coverage would respond. However, please note that Chubb would have to comply with the local quarantine protocols in such cases.  

How can I cancel my travel my registered trip?                                           

If your registered trip should be canceled and fees are incurred, complete the form below:

• Employee Trip Cancellation/Interruption Claim Form
• Student Trip Cancellation/Interruption Claim Form

What if I am stranded while traveling abroad?

Registered Travel: United HealthCare Group (UHCG) can assist stranded travelers wanting to return home. Travelers should first work with travel agent/ airline directly to book a flight. If they are not able to obtain a flight back, UHCG will work directly with travelers: https://www.ucop.edu/risk-services-travel/_files/uc-travel-insurance/travel-assistance-services.pdf . Note, even if travelers did not previously register their UC Trip, they can still obtain assistance from UHCG.

Personal Travel Insurance coverage is available through UCOP Risk Services.