Study abroad students disappointed ECU canceled trips

GREENVILLE, NC (WITN) - Students have been expressing their disappointment after the news of several study abroad trips that have been canceled at ECU.

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Freshman Nitika Janes had been planning for a trip to the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, since last semester. She found out a day before she was supposed to leave that the trip was canceled.

Jane said, "We had bought our tickets. And we finished our project that we were gonna go an meet up with the students there."

Jane's brother's South Korea trip was also canceled, but she had hoped things would work out for hers. She said the area she planned to go to wasn't on the watch list. Thousands of dollars invested in the trip are now down the drain.

"All of my parents' money, which I had spent on this trip, had gone to waste because it's too late to cancel the flight without basically getting no money back for that. And didn't really offer any options for us to still be able to go on it," said Jane.

This is all as a precaution. Due to the coronavirus, nine study abroad trips, as well as some future Spring and Summer trips, have been canceled. ECU assistant vice-chancellor of global affairs Jon Rezek says the priority is students' safety.

Rezek said, "The CDC issued another change to their health travel alert system. They moved it up to a level three. At that point, it was pretty clear from our policies that we really need to get the students out."

31 students and six faculty and staff members currently in Certaldo Alto, Italy, which is more than 200 miles from the most affected area there, now have the option to come home. Rezek said the students were comfortable with the decision.

"They'll be finishing all their academic work online," Rezek said, "We think out of abundance of caution that we want to make sure that they and the faculty directors are safe."

ECU student Elizabeth Weaver is still planning to go on her trip to Costa Rica this Spring Break. She and her parents now have new concerns.

"We're worried that we'll be able to get there, but we won't be able to get back," said Weaver.

And freshman Kaiah Andrews previously studied in Spain and Costa Rica. She's sad other students won't get to study abroad.

"I think it's a great experience to have, and it's kind of sad they won't be able to experience that," Andrews said.

Dr. Paul Cook with The Brody School of Medicine held a discussion today with students and staff to clear some things up on the virus.

Cook said, "I don't think there needs to be panic."

He suggested washing hands frequently, staying home if you feel sick, staying away from sick people, and to not sneeze into your hands

He continues, "We don't have any reason to suspect that we have any cases here now, but eventually we will."

And as for Jane, she's discouraged from signing up for a trip again. She had hoped students could sign a waiver saying they understood the risks, and go anyway. She explains the reactions from fellow students disappointed they can't go to UAE.

"Now, we're just scrambling to find out how to get our money back, and we're all just really upset that we've been planning this and we were supposed to go so soon," said Jane.

Rezek said additional programs could also be canceled as things progress.

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East Carolina University says it is canceling its ECU Tuscany program and is bringing students and staff members home.

The 31 students and six faculty members in Italy will return this week as flight rebooking allows, the university said this afternoon.

The program is based in Certaldo Alto, some 200 miles from the most affected areas.

"While this is disappointing news for the those involved in the program, we made this decision with the health and safety of our students and staff as our priority," said Dr. Jon Rezek, assistant vice chancellor for global affairs at ECU. "ECU students and staff have been in an area unaffected by the coronavirus to date; however, the situation in Italy is rapidly evolving and based on the CDC's travel recommendation, the program's cancellation was the most prudent decision."

Italy saw a 50% increase in coronavirus cases Sunday. There have been 34 confirmed deaths and 1,694 cases in the country.

ECU earlier canceled study abroad programs to China, South Korea and Japan because of elevated-risk travel advisories.

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ECU is continuing to adjust study abroad programs amid concerns of the coronavirus.

ECU News Services says nine summer study abroad programs have been cancelled, including three in China, two in South Korea, one in Japan and three in Italy.

The university has also cancelled all spring trips to South Korea and China because of the high risk for coronavirus.

University officials say they have not made decisions to ban the spring study abroad programs in Japan and Italy yet. The university says they are following Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control guidelines, which views these countries at heightened risk for the virus, not high risk.

The university says the study abroad program in Italy, ECU Tuscany, is in Certaldo Alto, which is more than 200 miles away from the most affected area in Italy and is an isolated village with a small population and few tourists. While they are not sending students home, the university has made adjustments to the program.

The university says they are not allowing travel outside of Certaldo Alto for two weeks. Students have also been encouraged to avoid traveling on their own in Italy during that two-week period.

If travel outside of Certaldo Alto is allowed again, officials say it will be by private bus instead of public transportation to limit exposure risks.

The Office of Global Affairs is communicating regularly with the mayor of Certaldo for updates on the situation in Italy. If the risk increases, a contingency plan is in place and more adjustments will be made, according to ECU.

ECU also says if a student wants to come back to the U.S. at any point, transportation to airports in Rome or Naples will be provided, as well as potential refunds. Those students will be able to finish their classes online.

University policy does not include personal/ recreational travel, but officials are recommending students follow the guidelines in place.

Officials are warning all students and faculty who have traveled to an affected area recently or have been in contact with someone who has to visit a doctor if they are showing symptoms.

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East Carolina University says all university-sponsored trips to China are on hold because of the Coronavirus.

ECU has two study abroad trips planned, one that leaves May 7th and another on June 29th.

Online trip descriptions don't specify exactly where the students would visit in China, and Wuhan, where the outbreak is centered, is not mentioned.

We asked ECU for more information on these trips and why they are put on hold, but the university would only release a brief statement that the trips were temporarily suspended. The university says it is following CDC and State Department recommendations on overseas trips.

According to Toxicologist Dr. Xiaoping Pan, ECU is following national level travel advice.

"Right now for the Hunan Province, that particular state, the advice is to not go there and then for the other area of China the advice at the national level is to not go if you don't have business," Dr. Pan said.

Students at ECU say its a good thing to stay away from the virus.

"I mean you don't want to bring that back here, I believe that by going over there you risk bringing it back over here so I think it's a good thing," said Angelica Parsons, a biology student at ECU.