Penn State ramps up coronavirus response, canceling some spring break trips to affected countries
In an effort to protect students, staff and faculty from the coronavirus, COVID-19, Penn State has restricted university-affiliated travel to South Korea and canceled several spring break classes in other Asian and European countries.
Last month, the university restricted travel to China for students and asked faculty and staff to “reconsider” travel to China.
On Thursday, Penn State Provost Nick Jones told the Penn State community in a letter that South Korea was added to the restricted university travel list, spring break faculty-led programs in Italy and Japan had been canceled and an embedded course in Vietnam was canceled.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 3 Travel Advisory to avoid all nonessential travel for South Korea on Monday.
University-affiliated travel to China and South Korea “is prohibited, but students may petition for an exception, but it’s highly, highly unlikely that the committee would grant one,” Penn State spokesperson Wyatt DuBois said in an email.
The programs in Italy and Japan were canceled due to “various logistical disruptions and limited travel availability, which was hindering the university’s ability to achieve the educational objectives of the programs,” DuBois said.
An embedded business administration course in Vietnam, offered by the Smeal College of Business over the duration of spring break, was canceled due to “flights that would take students through South Korea,” Jones wrote.
“It was because they had connecting flights that came through South Korea or Japan,” said Katie O’Toole, lecturer in the Donald Bellisario College of Communications.
Vietnam’s prime minister is now barring all travelers coming from areas that have experienced a COVID-19 outbreak, including South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran, reported Vietnam Briefing.
O’Toole said her embedded international reporting class, which is scheduled to travel to Vietnam for spring break, is still happening.
“Ours is still on for now,” she said. “The situation, of course, is in flux and it changes day to day.”
Penn State Education Abroad notified students studying in Italy on Tuesday about assistance and guidance it is providing in light of the country’s CDC Alert Level 2. It is also assisting students with chronic health issues in withdrawing from their programs and returning home if they wish.
Penn State also asked students, faculty and staff traveling for spring break to exercise caution in their travels and avoid behaviors that encourage the spread of illness.
Updates on Penn State’s response to the COVID-19 are posted at sites.psu.edu/virusinfo.
This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 5:19 PM.
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