UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With COVID-19 cases rising across the country, Penn State is reminding students, faculty and staff to continue taking health and safety precautions and to follow travel and holiday gathering guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) while traveling over Thanksgiving break.
COVID-19 testing is available on all Penn State campuses for students, faculty and staff who want to take a test prior to traveling.
COVID-19 testing
At University Park, drop-in testing is available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Friday at the White Building for students living on or near campus and faculty and staff who are working on campus. The White Building testing site will have limited hours in the days leading up to Thanksgiving:
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Monday, Nov. 22: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Tuesday, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Wednesday, Nov. 24: 9 to 11 a.m.
More information on White Building testing hours over the Thanksgiving and winter breaks is available on Penn State News.
At Commonwealth Campuses, student tests are distributed by the student health center or designated office, or ordered through the mail via the Vault Health mail-in test kit. Students should contact their campus student health center or Student Affairs for more information.
Employees may also seek testing through their health care provider or other local COVID-19 testing options. Employees working on campus may order a Vault Health mail-in test kit.
Quarantine and isolation space and support will be available over the Thanksgiving break, as needed, for students who test positive or who are close contacts of an individual who tests positive.
Travel guidelines
CDC guidelines call for individuals not to travel if they have been exposed to COVID-19 and are unvaccinated, are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID-19 and not completed their isolation period, or are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test.
Additionally, individuals are reminded that federal law requires the use of face masks on all public transportation and inside transportation hubs such as airports, train stations and bus stations.
Individuals who are traveling internationally should refer to the CDC website regarding vaccination requirements for noncitizens and nonimmigrants re-entering the United States.
Gathering guidelines
During holiday celebrations with friends and family, the CDC recommends that unvaccinated individuals wear face masks indoors and that all individuals wear face masks indoors in areas with substantial or high transmission. Individuals are cautioned to avoid crowded and poorly ventilated spaces and to avoid gatherings if they are sick or have symptoms of COVID-19.
The CDC website includes additional precautions that should be taken at holiday gatherings that include individuals at high risk for COVID-19 complications and gatherings that include individuals from multiple households.