College kids urged to skip far-flung spring breaks

Hub college students in need of some fun in the sun should have staycations instead, say health experts and higher-ed brass who are urging co-eds to cancel their party plans because of coronavirus.

“My current recommendation to my family is to restrict any totally frivolous travel — at least maybe this year,” Dr. Michael Mina of Brigham and Women’s Hospital told me Wednesday after speaking about coronavirus before Bay State lawmakers at the State House.

“I wouldn’t say it’s something that should be continued for years or months but at least for now that’s a reasonable thing to think about,” said Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

March is peak spring break season as students traditionally head to Florida, the Caribbean and other warm weather climates, but the timing of the coronavirus outbreak is putting a damper on students’ travel plans.

“Traveling tends to be a place where we’re just trying to shuttle a bunch of people because of efficiency into a small thing and move them over here. Anytime we do that, we see an increased opportunity and risk for spread,” Mina said.

UMass Amherst students got an email email last week “strongly discouraging” them from taking international trips during spring break, which begins March 15. Students who live on campus can stay in their residence halls if they cancel their vacations. UMass has also cancelled all upcoming international trips.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the university strongly discourages international travel during spring break,” wrote Brandi Hephner LaBanc, vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life at UMass Amherst.

UMass students who travel over spring break to countries deemed “Level 3” by the Centers for Disease Control must quarantine themselves for 14 days and be free of any symptoms before they can return to campus. So far, those countries include China, South Korea, Italy and Iran.

“The situation is evolving rapidly, and new restrictions could be implemented while you are abroad, affecting your ability to return to campus in a timely manner,” LaBanc wrote.

Bentley University senior Mateo Cardoni and his girlfriend, Emma Burgueno, a second year student at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, nixed their spring break plans after Burgueno was brought home from studying abroad in Spain last week amid coronavirus fears.

“I don’t want to risk anything,” Cardoni said.

Smart move as travel right now is just not worth the risk.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/39pMXk2