SU bans university travel to China in response to coronavirus
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The U.S. State Department has raised its travel advisory for China to its highest level.
All Syracuse University students, faculty and staff are restricted from traveling to China for university purposes, SU officials announced Friday.
The temporary restriction is in response to the continued spread of the new coronavirus, a respiratory disease health officials believe originated in Wuhan, China. The disease spreads through saliva and causes pneumonia-like symptoms, including shortness of breath, fever and coughing.
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global health emergency. The U.S. State Department and the Centers for Disease Control have advised against travelling to China.
SU also “strongly recommends” that anyone traveling to China for personal reasons reconsider their plans, according to an SU News release.
Anyone who travels to China during the temporary restriction will not be allowed in SU buildings of facilities for 14 days after returning to the U.S., university officials said in the release. The period will allow for self-monitoring of coronavirus symptoms, they said.
SU announced Tuesday that it plans to expedite a new travel and safety policy requiring all students and faculty to register any international travel plans prior to their departure.
The university will follow guidance from the State Department and the CDC to remove the restrictions “as soon as it is deemed safe to do so,” officials said.
There are no confirmed cases of the virus in New York state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Monday.
The New York State Department of Health has sent test samples from 10 patients possibly infected with coronavirus to the CDC, Cuomo said. Seven tested negative and three other samples are still pending, he said.
The Department of Health has been providing guidance to the state’s colleges and universities on how to identify the virus and communicate with students about it, the statement said.
Karen Nardella, medical director of SU Health Services, urged any students who have traveled to Wuhan recently or are displaying symptoms of the virus to contact medical personnel at the Barnes Center at The Arch immediately.
SU officials are not recommending the use of protective masks, but told students, faculty and staff to be cognizant that wearing masks is not indicative of illness.
Published on January 31, 2020 at 9:02 pm
Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3
