教务长 provides update on University's 冠状病毒 actions

亲爱的校园社区:

I am writing to update you on steps being taken to monitor the evolving worldwide 冠状病毒 outbreak and prepare for the safety and well-being of our students, 教师, 工作人员及访客. I also want to encourage you to bookmark the website we have developed to keep you informed of the latest information regarding Penn State at http://sites.promisesurfing.net/virusinfo.

我们的卫生官员, 应急管理代表, 全球项目 officials and others are meeting regularly to discuss COVID-19, review our Continuity of Operations plans, and take proactive steps to minimize exposure and risk for our campus communities across the Commonwealth and our students and employees traveling abroad. We are also continuing to meet with Penn State 教师 who are experts in this space, 提供输入和观点. 在一起, we are looking carefully at broad concerns such as international travel, 春假, readiness of our health centers and housing of students, 仅举几个例子.

Decisions are being made based on many interrelated factors and considerations, including the most recent restrictions and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 国务院, the World Health Organization and the 宾西法尼亚 Department of Health. 除了下面列出的措施, 大学官员, in our review of Penn State’s Continuity of Operations plans, are weighing various options for contingencies that would allow the educational mission of the University to continue if in-person classes at some point are no longer viable.

重点高校措施:

• 免费mg不朽情缘试玩 中国 and South Korea on the restricted list for University-affiliated international travel for students. University-affiliated travel to 中国 and South Korea for 教师 and staff is strongly discouraged and would require 教务长/University Risk Officer approval.
• 在意大利和日本, 短期, 教师-led programs have been canceled due to logistical disruptions and limited travel availability.
• Penn State has canceled an embedded course in Vietnam due to, 在其他问题中, flights that would take students through South Korea.
• 大学官员 are in contact with travelers currently in countries with elevated health notices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Semester-long courses in these countries are continuing currently, though we are assisting Penn State travelers with chronic diseases in CDC Level-2 Advisory countries with returning home, 如果他们愿意的话.
• Penn State Global 安全 officials are monitoring the situation around the clock. Any further travel restrictions will be communicated immediately to our travelers/students.
• Penn State has been in touch by email with all of our travelers currently abroad to share information on the 冠状病毒 and what the University is doing to support them. We will continue communicating important information as needed.
• Penn State health care personnel at all campuses are obtaining the travel history for all patients. Based on their travel history, personnel are taking appropriate action. 所有发热病人, cough or sore throat are being provided with masks, 不管旅行历史如何.

如你所见, there are many complexities to consider as the global threat of COVID-19 evolves rapidly. While the CDC has indicated that for the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is low – Penn State will continue to vigilantly monitor the evolving situation and make decisions based on facts and with the health and safety of our community the primary focus.

I urge anyone with questions about COVID-19 or the University’s response to this virus to 访问我们的网站, which we will continue to update on an ongoing basis. 我请求我们社区的成员 继续相互支持, especially those among us who have loved ones overseas suffering from or at risk of this disease.

尊重,

尼古拉斯·P. 琼斯
教务长