Updated Massachusetts Travel / Quarantine Information
July 24, 2020
Dear members of the Brandeis Community,
I wanted to share with you an important update from the Governor of Massachusetts with respect to the state travel guidelines for those arriving from out of state into Massachusetts. These changes will reduce the number of students, faculty or staff who will have to quarantine, either on campus or in a state designated as lower-risk by Massachusetts” prior to the start of classes.
Effective August 1, all individuals entering Massachusetts must complete and submit the on-line Massachusetts Travel Form unless the individual meets one of several exemptions including the following:
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Arriving from a Lower-risk State: This includes individuals coming from a COVID-19 lower-risk state within the United States. At the moment this includes Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Please note that this list is subject to change.
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Persons Commuting for Work or School: People who regularly commute, at least weekly, outside of Massachusetts.
If you do not meet one of these exemptions you will need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Massachusetts. However you do not need to quarantine for 14 days if you took an FDA EUA-approved molecular (PCR) SARS-CoV2 test, on a sample obtained 72 hours or less prior to arrival in Massachusetts and have received a negative test. If you took a test prior to your arrival but have not received your negative result, you MUST quarantine until you receive the negative result. Serology tests will not be accepted.
Alternatively, all members of the Brandeis community arriving from out of state, including those arriving from international travel, will be able to sign up for our free FDA EUA-approved molecular (PCR) SARS-CoV2 test. Results from these tests will be available in about 24 hours. Given the long delays in results from commercially available tests in most of the country, this will likely be the best option for those arriving at Brandeis from out of state. You will still have to quarantine until you obtain a negative result. You may sign up for a test by clicking this sign up for a test by clicking this link (times will be added on a rolling basis week by week). Note that all Brandeis students, faculty, and staff who will be coming onto campus over the course of the semester, regardless of personal travel out of state, will continue to need to be tested frequently in accordance with Brandeis requirements.
Given this revised travel policy, the Department of Community Living will be sending out an update about move-in and arrival information next week to all students who will be living in campus residential housing. Our FAQs on quarantining will also be updated early next week to reflect this revised travel/quarantine/testing policy.
I want to continue to emphasize that the most important thing we can do in the spirit of social solidarity to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 on our campus and in our community is to continue to wear a face covering or mask, wash hands, maintain a physical distance of stay at least 6 feet from other people who are not from your household both indoors and outdoors, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and don’t come to campus if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19.
Best regards,
Lisa M. Lynch, Provost