Updated travel guidance from Cook County

March 17, 2021

Topic: Community

Recently, CCSD21 families received information from their building principal regarding travel guidance from the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH). Updates from the initial guidance are highlighted below in red. Please keep this guidance in mind as spring break approaches:

  • Any adult (18 years or older) traveling from a state on the Orange list on this webpage is directed to obtain a negative COVID-19 test result (Rapid or PCR) no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in suburban Cook County. If unable to meet the testing requirements while out of state, they can be tested after they arrive home and quarantine until they receive a negative test result.
  • Any individual traveling internationally should be tested (Rapid or PCR) 3-5 days after they arrive home and continue to quarantine for a full 7 days after their return. Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days.
  • Children under the age of 18 are exempt from the guidance if they have traveled domestically with adults who receive a negative COVID-19 test (Rapid or PCR).
  • Adults who choose to be tested related to travel in place of a student must be the same adults who left, traveled, and returned home with the student. They must be tested according to the specific travel circumstances outlined above.
  • All test results must be turned into the school nurse prior to returning to school.
  • Anyone who does not turn in a test results to their school nurse will need to quarantine for 10 days upon their return home.
  • Those that are fully vaccinated and have not had symptoms are exempt from the domestic travel quarantine and testing requirements outlined above. Fully vaccinated is defined as being at least two weeks after the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or at least two weeks after receipt of one dose of a single-dose COVID vaccine.
  • Any student who has tested positive for COVID in the past 90 days is exempt from this guidance as long as they have completed the 10 day isolation period, have a documented positive test, and remain asymptomatic during their travel.

If domestic travel to an orange state is unavoidable:

  • If the adult(s) traveling to an orange state with the child are fully vaccinated prior to travel, the child needs to be tested OR quarantine for 10 days.
  • If the adult(s) traveling to an orange state with the child are NOT fully vaccinated, the adult can be tested OR the child can be tested OR quarantine for 10 days.

We are asking our District families to please make testing arrangements in advance to assure that test results can be turned into the school nurse prior to your child’s return to school. Students who have traveled and do not submit negative test results to the school nurse on the timeline outlined above will be required to quarantine instead.

Additionally, it is important that those traveling:

  • Monitor symptoms for 14 days after returning from travel.
  • Practice social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand hygiene.

Our District continues to follow state and local safety guidance to keep our schools and community safe. We are deeply grateful for the sustained efforts and cooperation in addressing this public health challenge.