****UPDATE: UNC has shared additional information on Monday, March 9, regarding its restrictions on travel due to the outbreak of coronavirus.****
In a message shared with the UNC community on Monday evening, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said the university is prohibiting University-affiliated travel to Level 2 countries. This includes Japan, where the country is experiencing a sustained outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
Anyone traveling from a Level 2 or 3 country is asked to self-quarantine off campus for 14 days.
Additionally, the university is preparing for classes to be delivered remotely if necessary.
It is critical we all do our part to limit transmission and ensure the safety of everyone on #UNC’s campus and in our communities. Limiting travel is one way the University is trying to protect our community. https://t.co/B3HEkTdpBu
— Kevin Guskiewicz (@KevinGuskiewicz) March 9, 2020
As more confirmed cases of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 appear in the United States and spring break kicks off, UNC is taking precautions by requiring campus community members to self-quarantine themselves depending on where they travel.
Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz issued a message to UNC students, faculty and staff on Thursday morning, providing an update to the university’s response to the ongoing spread of COVID-19. In it, he said the university is following CDC guidelines by asking anyone who travels to countries experiencing higher numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases to self-quarantine for 14 days off campus upon their return.
In addition, those who travel to areas within the U.S. that have declared states of emergency due to an outbreak of COVID-19 may also be subject to the two-week period off of campus. The university strongly discouraged personal travel to California, Florida and Washington.
“We did not come to these decisions lightly,” Guskiewicz said in the release, “and did so with the health and well-being of our entire community in mind, while also following federal and state guidelines.”
The message also reminded the campus community that advisories are subject to change over the next week. Those who travel domestically or internationally face the risk of being in an area that gets increased to a Level 3 by the CDC, which recommends avoiding nonessential travel. Guskiewicz said in the release that community members who are in an area that gets updated to Level 3 will be subject to the two-week self-quarantine as well.
In an effort to protect members of the Carolina community and mitigate the potential effects of coronavirus on our campus, #UNC is immediately implementing new domestic and international travel restrictions for students, faculty and staff https://t.co/CpHVNr94L7
— UNC-Chapel Hill (@UNC) March 5, 2020
The chancellor also said university-related travel to U.S. cities experiencing a coronavirus outbreak has also been restricted. UNC previously banned all university-related travel to China, South Korea, Iran and Italy, the countries reporting the most confirmed cases of the new virus. Study abroad programs in South Korea and Italy have since been cancelled as well.
“We know that this is a stressful time for many of you,” said Guskiewicz. “For students, these restrictions may disrupt your educational opportunities and plans for this semester. For faculty and staff, we know that these restrictions will also impact your plans to teach, conduct scholarship and facilitate the important business of our University.”
The university has created a website dedicated to the ongoing outbreak and how it affects the campus community. It also established a hotline for people who have questions about its current guidelines, which can be reached at 919-445-5000.
