Category: Travel Updates Page 2 of 3

Update about Spring 2021 Undergraduate Study Away Programs

The Duke University Global Education Office (GEO) has suspended all outgoing undergraduate study away programs for spring 2021 due to ongoing health, safety, and logistics concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension applies to Duke-In, Duke-Approved, and petition programs, including domestic study away programs and U.S.-based exchange programs. GEO will continue offering spring semester opportunities for Duke students unable to return to Duke’s campus through the Duke at DKU and Study Away at Home programs.

Duke academic policy states that online transfer credit, such as those offered through virtual study away programs, will not be accepted by the registrar’s office. Please note that should a student choose to study away this spring on an unsanctioned program, they do so without access to university financial aid and travel resources, and will not be permitted to transfer credit back to the institution.

Duke students who have paid deposits towards suspended Duke programs will have those funds credited to their bursar accounts. Non-Duke students will be contacted by their GEO Program Manager about deposit refunds. Students on Duke-approved programs should check with their program provider regarding cancellation, withdrawal, and refund policies.

GEO will withdraw all spring study away applications from MyGlobalEd. To ensure a seamless continuation of your studies this spring, we recommend students refer to updates on Keep Learning regarding the Duke spring semester.

For the latest from the Global Education Office, please visit their website: https://globaled.duke.edu/covid-19-response

U.S. State Department Global Travel Advisory for all U.S. Citizens

TO:                  All Duke Students, Faculty and Staff
FROM:            Kyle J. Cavanaugh
                        Vice President for Administration and Emergency Coordinator

We want to be sure that you saw the news that the U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory for all U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. The advisory (copied below) recommends that U.S. citizens arrange to return to the U.S. immediately unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.

If you are currently out of the country and intend to return to the U.S. we strongly encourage you to make travel arrangements immediately, and to observe the guidelines about self-isolating that comes from public health authorities when you return.  Additional guidance, including requirements for quarantine, is available on the Duke Coronavirus website

The full text of the State Department advisory is below:

The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19.  In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.  U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel.  Many countries are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and implementing travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines, closing borders, and prohibiting non-citizens from entry with little advance notice.  Airlines have cancelled many international flights and several cruise operators have suspended operations or cancelled trips.  If you choose to travel internationally, your travel plans may be severely disrupted, and you may be forced to remain outside of the United States for an indefinite timeframe.

On March 14, the Department of State authorized the departure of U.S. personnel and family members from any diplomatic or consular post in the world who have determined they are at higher risk of a poor outcome if exposed to COVID-19 or who have requested departure based on a commensurate justification.  These departures may limit the ability of U.S. Embassies and consulates to provide services to U.S. citizens.

For the latest information regarding COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website.

You are encouraged to visit travel.state.gov to view individual Travel Advisories for the most urgent threats to safety and security. Please also visit the website of the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate to see information on entry restrictions, foreign quarantine policies, and urgent health information provided by local governments.

Travelers are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. The Department uses these Alerts to convey information about terrorist threats, security incidents, planned demonstrations, natural disasters, etc. In an emergency, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate or call the following numbers: 1(888) 407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1 (202) 501-4444 from other countries or jurisdictions.

 If you decide to travel abroad or are already outside the United States:

Consider returning to your country of residence immediately using whatever commercial means are available.

Have a travel plan that does not rely on the U.S. Government for assistance.

Review and follow the CDC’s guidelines for the prevention of coronavirus.

Check with your airline, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.

Visit travel.state.gov to view individual Travel Advisories for the most urgent threats to safety and security.

Visit our Embassy webpages on COVID-19 for information on conditions in each country or jurisdiction.

Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States

Visit Keeping workplaces, homes, schools, or commercial establishments safe.

Guidance on Travel from Europe

The following memo was distributed to Duke leaders and managers on Thursday, March 12.

TO: Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Managers

FROM: Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President, Administration, Emergency Coordinator

Last night, the U.S. government announced new travel restrictions for non-U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents on entering the U.S. for travelers from Europe.

Duke has sent the following guidance to students, faculty and staff who have registered travel in Europe.

Dear Duke Traveler,

We are writing because you are currently registered for travel in Europe.

Please be advised that U.S. President Trump recently announced restrictions for non-US citizens or legal permanent residents on entering the U.S. for travelers from Europe. Please see the Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf’s Statement on Presidential Proclamation To Protect the Homeland from Travel-Related Coronavirus Spread 

Currently, this proclamation “suspends the entry of most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States. These countries, known as the Schengen Area, include: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. This does not apply to legal U.S. permanent residents, (generally) immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation.”

We strongly encourage those affected by this proclamation to change your travel plans NOW and book travel back to the U.S. before the proposed entry restrictions take effect on Friday, March 13 at midnight. In addition, we strongly encourage everybody to follow the news and subsequent announcements from the White House and the Department of Homeland Security.

We regret that we don’t have complete details, as the news was released last night in the United States and it is likely to change as the situation evolves. We want to share this information so you can start to work proactively on your travel plans. For students, we also realize that you might be receiving additional messages from Duke offices sponsoring your travel and we apologize for multiple messages. We care about your safety and are just trying to move quickly at this time. We will provide further updates as they become available.

Community Update: Changes to Spring Break and Classes, New Travel Restrictions

To the Duke Community

For the last several weeks, the Duke-wide Task Force has been working diligently to prepare for and plan our university’s response to COVID-19. In the past few days, it has become clear that the spread of the virus continues across the country.  Even though this is due to circumstances beyond our control, we can take steps now to minimize health and safety risks to Duke students, faculty, staff and the larger community, especially as students and faculty prepare to return from Spring Break.

To be sure, Duke University and Duke Health will remain open, and many of our operations and activities will continue, though with adjustments to working conditions.

Based on the latest data and guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, input from our own faculty experts, and in consultation with the Academic Council and the Board of Trustees, we have adopted the following policies on classes, residential life, travel, events and visitors to campus, effective immediately.  These policies apply to Duke University and Duke Health.

ACADEMIC AND RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Duke is committed to maintaining our daily operations, completing the semester, and ensuring that all students can fulfill their academic requirements as planned.  We will, however, institute a series of social distancing practices to protect the health and continuity of our community.

First, all on-campus classes will be suspended until further notice, and we will transition to remote instruction (video and other forms of delivery) for all undergraduate, graduate and professional schools.  In order to provide time for students and faculty make this transition, Undergraduate Spring Break will be extended to Sunday, March 22 and classes will resume on Monday, March 23. Graduate and professional schools will notify their students about their specific schedules.

Second, all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who are currently out of town for Spring Break should NOT return to the Duke campus if at all possible.  We know there are undergraduate students who are on campus at the moment or who will need access to campus housing this week because of a variety of circumstances.  Those students who need to return to campus, even briefly, must register with Student Affairs in advance so we can support a limited on-campus population.  Students who do remain in campus housing or in the Durham area should be aware that access to many facilities and services – including dining, recreation and libraries – will be limited.  In addition, student activities and gatherings will be curtailed.

This was not an easy decision to make and came only after reviewing the range of options available in light of the rapidly changing situation in North Carolina, and nationally.  The goal is to minimize situations in which members of our community might be exposed to those who have COVID-19, and to protect our students, faculty and staff who might be at elevated risk.  This approach is consistent with recommendations from public health officials, and also mirrors the actions taken by many universities across the country.

We know this presents a significant disruption to everyone’s studies, research and work, and also prompts many questions and concerns.  By tomorrow (Wednesday), undergraduate, graduate and professional students, as well as faculty, will begin receiving specific information from the university, their schools and Student Affairs about plans for courses, information technology and support services.  In addition, we are developing plans to provide residential students with a prorated reimbursement of any previously paid and unused housing and dining fees.  Further information on those plans will be forthcoming.

TRAVEL

At this time, we are also suspending all non-essential university-funded travel, both domestic and international.  Requests for exceptions should be made to your supervisor or dean.  This of course does not include personal activity, but we urge you to seriously reconsider any plans for long-distance travel and visits to areas that have been significantly impacted by COVID-19.

If your recent travel has included an area with active communal spread of coronavirus, and if upon your return to Durham you exhibit signs of illness such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing, you should contact Student Health (919-681-9355) or Employee Occupational Health and Wellness (919-684-3136) for further direction before coming back to campus. If you do choose to travel for personal reasons, we strongly encourage you to use the Duke Travel Registry so you can be reached in the event of changing circumstances.

EVENTS

We recognize that there is considerable concern and uncertainty about events that are scheduled to take place on-campus for the rest of the semester, including many of our prospective student visit programs.  We are closely monitoring the guidance from public health officials and our own experts, with the goal of reducing the risk of exposure to and transmission of the virus without curtailing all activity on-campus.

Effective immediately, we are postponing, cancelling or virtualizing any Duke-sponsored in-person event with expected attendance of more than 50 people taking place on-campus or off-campus between now and April 20 May 7, 2020 [UPDATED 3/13/2020].  This includes recruitment events, tours, student programs, reunions, performances, conferences and social events.

If you are planning an event with fewer than 50 people, we ask you to consider the following questions to determine whether your programs should also be cancelled or rescheduled:

  1. Will the program be in close quarters or require considerable personal interaction?
  2. Are any attendees scheduled to stay in personal homes?
  3. Are participants coming from locations with high infection rates?
  4. Will a significant number of attendees be in high-risk categories, including individuals over the age of 60?
  5. Is there elevated risk to staff who will help prepare for your event, serve your guests and clean up afterward?

If the answer to any of those questions is “yes,” then we strongly urge you to cancel, postpone or virtualize the program.

For all events and meetings, we urge faculty, staff and students to remind each other of good hygiene practices; to voluntarily remove yourself from the event if you are not feeling well; and to make accommodations for ill or self-quarantined individuals.  Further guidance on athletic events will be forthcoming.  We will continue to assess our policies to address changing circumstances, including a potential extension of the April 20 May 7, 2020 [UPDATED 3/13/2020] deadline.

For all events, regardless of the size, please follow these precautions:

  • Encourage handwashing and hand sanitizing.
  • Minimize communal food (open buffets and salad bars).
  • Advise your attendees about these precautions.
  • Urge anyone who feels ill to stay home and to participate online if possible.

VISITORS TO CAMPUS

The Duke campus also welcomes thousands of visitors a day to our campus, gardens, museums and tourist destinations.  It is our intention to keep these destinations open to the extent possible, but managers of those facilities must observe the following precautions:

  • Group visits and tours of more than 50 people are not permitted.
  • Signage about hygiene, handwashing and hand sanitization should be located in prominent locations.
  • Facilities managers should review plans for additional cleaning on a frequent basis.

We encourage you to bookmark and review https://coronavirus.duke.edu for the latest news and information about Duke’s policies and actions.

This is an unprecedented challenge for our university community, but we are very well prepared to meet it. The same innovative spirit that has driven a century of Duke discoveries will allow our faculty, staff and students to adapt to new teaching and learning experiences; the same commitment to service and courage demonstrated by Duke Health providers and staff every day will likewise carry us through these trying circumstances.

For while Duke may bring to mind the gothic spires and greening quads of our beautiful campus, we are ultimately a community of extraordinary people, people who—no matter where we are in the world—can count on each other for inspiration, inclusion, mutual respect and steady support. From your home here on campus to wherever this message finds you, very best wishes to the entire Duke community.

Vincent E. Price

President

Reminder to Students about Spring Break Travel

Dear students, 
Duke has recently expanded the travel restrictions currently in place related to COVID-19 (coronavirus), which may affect any upcoming travel plans you have. If you are planning to leave campus for Spring Break, we again strongly encourage you to reconsider any nonessential personal international travel, particularly to areas that are experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19.
We also want to make sure that you are aware that IF YOU TRAVEL TO CHINA, IRAN, ITALY, OR SOUTH KOREA (LEVEL 3) OR JAPAN (LEVEL 2), OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY THAT SHIFTS TO A CDC LEVEL 2 DESIGNATION OR HIGHER WHILE YOU ARE ABROAD, YOU MUST SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14 DAYS OFF CAMPUS BEFORE YOU CAN RETURN TO DUKE’S CAMPUS.
This situation continues to develop rapidly, and no one can be sure how things may develop over the coming days and weeks. We want to make sure we are as prepared as possible for our students return to campus and WE NEED YOUR HELP.

All students traveling domestically or internationally

We are asking all students with any upcoming travel plans—international or domestic—fill out the Duke Travel Registry. Duke is not currently restricting any domestic travel, but filling out the travel registry will help us know who is traveling where, and enable us to reach you in the event that any circumstances change.

Students returning from locations with CDC Level 3 or Level 2 status

Any Duke student, faculty or staff members returning to the U.S. from an area with a Level 3 or Level 2 status from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WILL BE REQUIRED TO SELF-QUARANTINE AT HOME FOR 14 DAYS BEFORE YOU ARE PERMITTED TO RETURN TO DUKE’S CAMPUS, and must complete this survey with additional details on your travel.
This means that, as of today, IF YOU TRAVEL TO CHINA, IRAN, ITALY, OR SOUTH KOREA (LEVEL 3) OR JAPAN (LEVEL 2), YOU MUST SELF-ISOLATE OFF CAMPUS BEFORE YOU CAN RETURN TO DUKE. You will also be required to self-isolate off-campus if you travel to another country that shifts to a CDC Level 2 designation or higher while you are there. 

Students returning from locations with CDC Level 1 status 

If you are returning from an area with a Level 1 status from the CDC, you should self-observe for symptoms of respiratory illness and remain alert for fever, cough, or difficulty breathing. If you experience such symptoms, students should contact Student Health at  919-681-9355, option 2 and ask to speak to a triage nurse.
Regardless of your travel plans, please continue to follow the healthy practices recommended by health experts, such as washing your hands frequently (and thoroughly!).
We care about you and wish you all a safe, healthy and refreshing break.

Update Regarding Travel and Campus Preparedness

With new information about COVID-19 developing at a brisk pace, we are writing to advise all members of the Duke community about specific areas of interest and concern.  The task force that includes leadership from across the University and Duke Health continues to monitor activity in North Carolina and around the world.  As a result of their work, we are providing the following updates (which can also be found at https://coronavirus.duke.edu):

Travel

  • Effective immediately, we are expanding travel restrictions to include any country or region with CDC Level 2 designation or higher, which now includes China, Iran, Italy and South Korea as Level 3, and Japan as Level 2.  No university funded or sponsored travel to those areas is permitted for students, faculty and staff, and any members of the Duke community who have been in those areas will be subject to a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine before they are permitted to return to campus.
  • If you are planning to leave campus for Spring Break, we again strongly encourage students, faculty and staff to reconsider any nonessential personal international travel, particularly to areas that are experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19.  In addition to the possibility of illness, you may face unexpected travel restrictions that make it difficult or impossible to return to campus.  If you visit a region that is placed on CDC Level 2 or 3 warning, you will likely experience canceled flights and restricted travel by local authorities and Duke will not be able to intervene on your behalf.  You will also be required to self-quarantine for 14 days before you are permitted to return to Duke.
  • Duke is not at this time restricting domestic travel.  However, we encourage everyone to reconsider travel attendance at large conferences and events, which present a heightened risk of contact with individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19.  In addition, we strongly encourage students, faculty and staff to use the Duke Travel Registry for all university-sponsored and personal travel so you can be reached in the event of changing circumstances.
  • If your travel has included an area with active communal spread of coronavirus, and if upon your return to Durham you exhibit signs of illness such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing, you should contact Student Health (919-681-9355) or Employee Occupational Health and Wellness (919-684-3136) for further direction before coming back to campus.
  • Anyone considering travelling should continue to monitor these websites for the latest information and guidance:

Campus Preparations

There are currently no reported or suspected cases of COVID-19 at Duke, and there may not be, but we are making a number of preparations to protect the health and safety of the Duke community including patients, students, staff and faculty.  This includes the possibility that individuals might have to self-quarantine if they have traveled from or through an area designated Level 2 or higher by the CDC or were otherwise exposed to the virus.  Any affected student currently living on-campus will be transferred to East Hall on East Campus, a formerly vacant residence hall that has been equipped to accommodate and support students under the direction of Duke Student Health.  Students living off-campus will be required to self-isolate in their own home.

We continue to assess the advisability of maintaining the current calendar of events that are scheduled to take place on the Duke campus over the next 90 days.  At this time, we are not making any mandatory changes.  However, event sponsors should carefully consider whether planned events are essential, particularly those that will include travelers from other parts of the country or around the world, or whether they can be rescheduled or converted to an online format.  University leaders are monitoring the situation and may need to implement more restrictive policies on short notice should conditions change.

While we are not making any changes to the academic calendar for undergraduate and graduate classes, we are monitoring the situation and will respond should that become necessary. Over the next week, we will be communicating with deans, department chairs and faculty about how best they can prepare in advance should it become advisable for Duke to end on-campus classes sooner than indicated by the Duke calendar. We hope this will not be necessary but want to be prepared.

Duke University Health System

Duke University Health System (DUHS) leadership teams have been coordinating clinical response efforts to COVID-19 with university representatives, state and federal officials, and other healthcare systems. At this time, we have a firm foundation of plans in place to care for our community and team. This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we are constantly monitoring the latest developments and adjusting our response.

Our DUHS leadership COVID-19 task force has established a command center and is meeting daily. We have aligned our preparedness and clinical efforts across the health system in these focus areas:

  • Implementing clinical protocols to identify, isolate and care for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.  At this time there are no confirmed COVID-19 patients receiving clinical care at DUHS.
  • Maintaining adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and clinical supplies.
  • Managing current flu visitor restrictions and determining future expansions.
  • Providing regular updates to all team members. The DUHS intranet page (available to DUHS staff only) is being updated regularly to share the latest developments and resources. This intranet page has FAQs, talking points, forms to submit questions and a video featuring a question and answer session with our leaders.

Preparations for the Future

Over the past several weeks the university task force has been currently overseeing planning efforts in all areas to prepare for potential significant changes in our activities should conditions warrant, including online instruction, telecommuting and human resource policies and other academic and operations.

Thanks to the efforts of many staff and faculty, we believe that Duke is well prepared to address the impact of COVID-19, protect the health and safety of our community, and continue our mission of education, discovery and patient care.  Indeed, Duke experts are deeply engaged with colleagues around the world, as well as public health officials in North Carolina and elsewhere, in the global effort to assess, treat and eradicate COVID-19 through research and testing.

At the same time, we need to be prepared to adapt quickly to unanticipated shifts, and we appreciate your continued attention and responsiveness in a dynamic situation.

Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President for Administration and Emergency CoordinatorJennifer Francis, Executive Vice ProvostThomas Owens, MD, President, Duke University Hospital and Senior Vice President, Duke University Health System

Italy Added to Duke’s Restricted Travel Regions

The following memo was distributed to Duke leaders and managers on  Sunday, March 1, 2020.

TO: Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Managers

FROM: Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President, Administration, Emergency Coordinator

RE: (Travel) Italy Added to Duke’s Restricted Travel Regions

Due to the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has moved Italy to its Warning – Level 3 status, which recommends avoiding all nonessential travel. Effective immediately, Duke will restrict all university-funded travel to Italy and any other country that the CDC moves to a Level 3 status.

This restriction covers all travel to Italy for students, faculty and staff at Duke University and Duke Health. Duke has been in touch with those programs currently in Italy and is working with those students and faculty regarding the continuation of their studies.

While this restriction does not affect personal travel, we strongly recommend that anyone who has plans to travel to Italy or any other area with current outbreaks of COVID-19 to reconsider those plans. If you do decide to travel outside the United States, we encourage you to register with the Duke Travel Registry. This will enable us to contact you with information as the situation evolves. If you visit a region that is placed on CDC Level 3 warning, you will likely experience canceled flights and restricted travel by local authorities, and Duke will not be able to intervene on your behalf. You will also be required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days before you are permitted to return to Duke. Those considering traveling should continue to monitor the websites for the CDC, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. State Department for the latest information and guidance.

This continues to be a rapidly evolving situation, and Duke officials are monitoring developments to protect the health and safety of the entire Duke community. We encourage you to visit the Duke Coronavirus Response website regularly for the latest updates regarding relevant Duke actions and policies.

 

Spring Break Advisory- Important Health and Safety Travel Update

Dear students, 

Spring Break is quickly approaching, and we know many of you have plans to travel, whether to go home or elsewhere. As you prepare to leave campus, I am writing with some important information about the rapidly changing situation with coronavirus (COVID-19) that may impact your plans. AT THIS POINT, WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO RECONSIDER ANY INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL OVER SPRING BREAK. Please read carefully—we want everyone to enjoy a safe, healthy and restorative break.

In the last week, we have seen a spike in COVID-19 cases in countries outside of mainland China—primarily in South Korea and Italy, with a significant increase in cases in Japan, Iran and Hong Kong as well. Because this situation is evolving daily, it is difficult to anticipate what else may change in Asia, Europe and other parts of the world over the coming days and weeks.

As countries evaluate travel into and out of their regions, limitations and bans are being put into effect, often with little or no prior warning. Please consider both your departure and your return when travelling to countries currently under watch for COVID-19. DUE TO THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU RECONSIDER ANY INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL PLANS OVER SPRING BREAK, ESPECIALLY TO OR THROUGH AREAS INCLUDED IN THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION’S TRAVEL ALERTS.

If you do decide to travel outside the country, we encourage you to register with the Duke Travel Registry. This will enable us to contact you with information as the situation evolves. If you visit a region that is placed on CDC Level 3 warning, you will likely experience canceled flights and restricted travel by local authorities and Duke will not be able to intervene on your behalf. You will also be required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days before you are permitted to return to Duke. Those considering travelling should continue to monitor the websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. State Department for the latest information and guidance. Note that GEO and University partners are coordinating carefully to advise your classmates studying away this semester for up-to-date information in their host countries.

Regardless of your travel plans, we should all continue to follow the healthy practices recommended by experts. The CDC recommends the following actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19:

  • Avoid contact with sick people.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Clean your hands often by washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.

If you return from Spring Break after traveling to an area with active communal spread of coronavirus and you exhibit signs of illness such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing, you should contact Student Health at 919-681-9355, option 2 and ask to speak to a triage nurse. Students must then receive medical clearance before returning to campus.

We will continue to share updates on changes that may impact you and your travel plans. I also encourage you to continue to monitor the Duke coronavirus response website for the latest updates.

Wishing you all a safe, healthy, and refreshing break.

Sincerely,

Mary Pat McMahon
Vice Provost/Vice President for Student Affairs

CDC Recommends Avoiding Nonessential Travel to Italy

Friday evening, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) elevated Italy to Warning – Level 3 status and recommended that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Italy.

Key Points:

  • CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Italy.
  • There is a widespread, ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness (COVID-19) caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that can be spread from person to person.
  • Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions may be at increased risk for severe disease.

For more information, visit the CDC website.

South Korea Added to Duke’s Restricted Travel Regions

The following memo was distributed to leaders and managers on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020.

TO: Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Managers
FROM: Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President, Administration, Emergency Coordinator
RE: (Travel) South Korea Added to Duke’s Restricted Travel Regions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that all non-essential travel to South Korea be deferred due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in that country. Therefore, effective immediately, Duke University is restricting all university-funded travel to South Korea.

This restriction covers all travel to South Korea for students, faculty and staff at Duke University and Duke Health. It does not, however, affect personal travel, though we urge any individual planning a trip to South Korea to carefully review the latest health information from U.S. government sources, and be aware that anyone returning from South Korea may be subject to screening and quarantine guidelines in place at the time.

Members of the Duke community who are engaged in research or clinical activities in South Korea and need to travel there should contact their dean, department chair or unit director to activate the process for an exception to this travel restriction.

This continues to be a rapidly evolving situation, and Duke officials are monitoring developments to protect the health and safety of the entire Duke community. We encourage you to visit the Duke Coronavirus Response website regularly for the latest updates regarding relevant university actions and policies.

 

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