Travel Precautions – 1/23

Travel Precautions – Thursday, January 23

As a result of a recent outbreak of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, the Chinese government and international health experts are closely monitoring its spread, especially in the wake of the Spring Festival travel period. Many of our CET students plan to travel for the holiday and while we do not believe there will be significant disruptions to travel plans, we urge all travelers to avoid any travel to the Wuhan area. As of 10 a.m. Beijing time on Thursday, January 23, airports and train stations in Wuhan are closed, as well as public transportation within the city. We will continuously monitor the spread of the virus to various Chinese provinces and cities and should an abundance of cases arise in an area where students are traveling, we will advise appropriate measures. The safety, security and health of our students are our utmost priority. Below is a list of the precautions we will be taking while traveling.

• Regular hand washing with soap and water
• Minimizing time in enclosed public spaces such as train stations
• Suggested wearing of masks to prevent spread of infection
• Eating food at high quality and clean restaurants
• Using sharing chopsticks to prevent spread of infection when dining together
• Ensuring food, especially meat and eggs, is cooked thoroughly
• Staying away of markets and avoiding touching live animals of any kind
• Conducting regular temperature checks and monitoring fever conditions or any travelers feeling unwell
• Stocking regular supplies of Western medicine while on trips
• Monitoring the CDC, WHO, and U.S. and UK Embassies for latest updates
• Having a list of nearest high quality hospitals to the cities we will be visiting and the nearest U.S. Consulate/Embassy
• If the need arises, we will have a plan for immediate return to Beijing and to United Family Hospital for high quality healthcare

We will continue to monitor the situation and will send out further updates if necessary. Wishing you all a happy and prosperous Year of the Rat!