Domestic Travel

• When traveling, regardless of state designation, you must maintain masking while indoors, physical distancing and frequent hand-washing.

• If you are traveling from an orange state, you must either have a pre-arrival test (no earlier than 72 hours prior to arrival) or quarantine for 10 days. Travelers may obtain a test result upon arrival in Chicago, but must quarantine until results are received. We strongly recommend obtaining a RT-PCR test. Minors traveling with adults do not need their own tests, unless those adults are exempted from testing due to a COVID infection or full vaccination in the previous three months. In such circumstances, minors must be tested and/or quarantine.

• If you are traveling from a yellow state, no quarantine or pre-arrival test is required.

• In all cases of travel, whether yellow or orange states, monitor for symptoms for the next seven days and test again regardless of prior results. 

• A list of states may be found here.

International Travel

• All air travel passengers over the age of two entering the United States (including U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents & individuals who are fully vaccinated) need to present a negative COVID-19 test, taken within three calendar days of departure or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days. 

• Make sure that you will be able to get a test at your destination before your return to the United States. Always check and follow state and local recommendations or requirements related to travel in addition to federal requirements. A listing of countries by risk designation may be found here.

  • Get tested 1-3 days before you travel. Keep a copy of your test results with you during travel in case you are asked for them. Check and follow destination testing requirements—they may require specific types of tests.

  • Don’t travel if you test positive; immediately isolate yourself and follow public health recommendations.

  • Delay your travel if you are waiting for test results.

• After travel, get tested 3-5 days regardless of the country's risk designation; seek RT-PCR testing if available. 

• If you have traveled from a destination designated as high risk or moderate risk, you must stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days after travel. Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.

• If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home for 10 days after travel regardless of destination.

Quarantine and Testing Exemption for Fully Vaccinated Adults

Domestic travel: Fully vaccinated adults or those who can show proof of recovery from a positive diagnosis of COVID-19 in the past three months, and who are also asymptomatic, do not need to test or quarantine following domestic travel. Fully vaccinated is defined as being two weeks past the second dose in a two-dose vaccine regimen. Please note that fully vaccinated travelers must monitor their health for 14 days after travel, and if they experience symptoms potentially consistent with COVID-19, they must self-isolate until clinical evaluation and COVID testing. They also must continue to adhere to all recommended protective measures including wearing a mask (and using job-specific personal protective equipment), maintaining physical distance, practicing hand hygiene, and avoiding crowds. The School requests that minors who travel with fully vaccinated adults do submit a negative COVID test to return to school.

Fully vaccinated international travelers do not need to quarantine, but should test 3-5 days upon return. Unvaccinated children who travel with vaccinated adults will still need to quarantine and test as outlined above.

Classroom layouts will be restructured to permit a minimum of three feet of distance between students, six feet when eating. Classrooms will have fewer shared items, and when possible, each student will have their own individual set of supplies. In addition, student supplies and possessions will remain in their classrooms for lower school and be used in select situations for middle school where physical distancing can be maintained.

The ventilation of each classroom was assessed this summer and plans are being implemented to increase the flow of outside air in every classroom. Air purification units are being added as necessary throughout the campus. 

Traffic flow in stairwells will substantially flow in one direction only, as indicated by new building signage. Additional signs will be placed throughout the school building reminding students to wear masks, wash hands and maintain a distance of at least six feet from other people whenever possible. Bathrooms will have new occupancy limits with select stalls and sinks closed off to promote social distancing, ventilation will be boosted and hand dryers will be temporarily out of order.

Bernard Zell’s cleaning crew will use EPA approved disinfectants to clean common spaces throughout the day, with extra attention paid to high-traffic areas. Additionally, a more thorough cleaning will take place overnight. Gloves and supplies will be provided to teachers to clean high-touch areas within classrooms as needed.