UNC is limiting domestic and international travel over coronavirus fears
The coronavirus has prompted the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to restrict travel, including to areas within the United States that have declared states of emergency.
The school said Thursday it is also asking people who return from countries affected by the coronavirus to self-quarantine off campus for two weeks.
California and Washington have declared states of emergency, and Florida has declared a public health emergency. UNC-CH is restricting university-related travel to each of those states and discourages personal travel to those areas. The university said anyone returning from those locations may also be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.
For California, the university specified avoiding Los Angeles and San Francisco, Orange County, San Diego County and Santa Clara County.
“The University is restricting University-affiliated travel within the United States to locations where a state of emergency has been declared related to COVID-19 and coronavirus. In addition, we strongly discourage personal travel to these areas,” Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz said in a statement Thursday morning.
The university has already restricted travel to other countries where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued travel advisories, including Italy, China and South Korea. UNC-CH already canceled its spring 2020 semester study abroad programs in Italy.
“Any students, faculty or staff returning from Level 3 and 2 countries will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days off campus effective immediately,” the school said.
China, Italy, Iran and South Korea are under Level 3 travel warnings from the CDC. Japan is under a Level 2 warning.
“These advisories are subject to change so please be mindful of all upcoming domestic and international travel,” UNC officials said. “If you travel to a location that is increased to a Level 3 while you are there, you will be subject to a 14-day self-quarantine off campus.”
Duke University is also restricting all university-funded travel to countries identified as Level 2 and 3 status by the CDC. This restriction covers all travel to China, Iran, South Korea, Italy and Japan for students, faculty and staff at Duke University and Duke Health.
If people visit a region on CDC Level 2 or 3 warning, they will be required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days before they are allowed to return to Duke.
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Duke officials said this restriction does not affect personal travel, but they strongly recommend that people reconsider plans to travel to places with coronavirus outbreaks. Duke is not restricting domestic travel at this time, but advises against attending large conferences and events.
NC State has also prohibited university-related travel to CDC-designated Level 2 and Level 3 countries and will not reimburse travel to these areas.
As of Wednesday, 11 people have died of the virus in the United States. Globally, more than 93,000 people have been infected and about 3,200 have died as of Wednesday, according to the World Health Organization.
Just over two months after the virus first emerged in central China, North Carolina reported its first case of COVID-19 this week. One person in Wake County who had visited a nursing home in Washington state tested positive for the respiratory virus, officials said.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 7:16 AM.
