Stanford Requires Students Returning From Overseas on or After Nov. 27 to Restrict University Activities

Stanford University will restrict activities for unvaccinated students and all those returning from overseas after Thanksgiving break, specifically on or after November 27, 2021, the university has announced.

Students were notified about restrictions through an email from Dean of Students Mona Hicks and Executive Director of Vaden Health Services Dr. Jim Jacobs, Erudera.com reports.

In their email, the latter clarified that restricted activity means that students will not be able to attend in-person lessons due to their international travel while they will only be allowed to leave residence for COVID-19 testing or other medical reasons, to pick up meals, to pick up grocery or prepared food deliveries, for laundry/trash work and solo outdoor exercises.

“There will be no special arrangements in place to accommodate students who cannot attend class because of Thanksgiving travel. For this reason, we discourage international travel during the Thanksgiving Break so that you can continue your studies in week 10,” the email reads.

The university leaders said that activities will be restricted for fully vaccinated students returning overseas until they receive a negative day 0 test result.

“After receiving a negative Day 0 test result but before receiving a negative Day 5 test result, resume in-person activities but refrain from indoor public dining and continue wearing face coverings indoors and in crowded spaces.”

Meanwhile, students who are not fully vaccinated but return from domestic or international travel will have activity restricted until they receive a negative test result on day 5 after their return.

As per fully vaccinated returning from domestic travel, the university will not restrict activity for any period.

The statement also stresses that starting November 27, 2021, after returning from travel outside California, students should perform COVID-19 testing twice, which will work as follows:

• Test on the day of their return to California (Day 0 test).
• Test on the third or fifth day after returning to California (Day 5 test).

While vaccinated students are required to continue testing once weekly, those who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 must test twice weekly.

Those who leave for more than one full week are required to complete the Temporary Absence Report to adhere to Stanford University’s COVID-19 surveillance testing requirements. University also reminded students to continue wearing masks indoors and in crowds outdoors.

As Stanford Daily reports, the university has issued the guidance following the skepticism among students and community if in-person education will continue between Thanksgiving and winter holidays.