Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week advised colleges and universities worldwide to consider postponing or canceling upcoming student foreign exchange programs, given the global outbreak of the coronavirus.
The CDC is also suggesting that the schools ask current program participants to return to their home country. Numerous colleges have already suspended or canceled spring and summer study abroad programs in countries with a large number of coronavirus cases, especially those located in China and Italy.
In North Carolina, where it's spring break time, that means several canceled trips.
UNC Charlotte has suspended some of its programs for students studying abroad for the spring. Elon University suspended its program in Florence for the semester and has directed 21 students and one faculty member to return to the U.S. UNC Pembroke has canceled study for its students in China; Duke University has canceled its summer program in China; UNC Chapel Hill has suspended some study abroad and is prohibiting university-related travel to countries with large numbers of coronavirus cases.
UNC schools -- including UNCC -- are also asking students and staff who travel to such countries and states in the U.S. that have declared emergencies to self-quarantine for two weeks before returning to campus.
