Today's News

5-16-2003 | University Relations

>> SARS information from the student health center

University recommendations on SARS

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is an atypical pneumonia first identified on Feb. 26, 2003, in Hanoi, Vietnam. Thousands of cases have been reported in countries worldwide (including the U.S.). The virus has spread from SE Asia to other countries through travel, principally air travel.

No reported SARS cases in Iowa
Iowa State University follows SARS guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Iowa has had no reported cases of SARS, and there have been no U.S. deaths reported. The physicians at Thielen Student Health Center will continue to monitor the situation and update the university community as needed. We encourage students, staff and faculty to review and follow recommended guidelines from WHO and CDC in order to protect themselves against SARS.

The Centers for Disease Control has issued Travel Alerts for Singapore and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Centers for Disease Control has issued Travel Advisories (their highest level of advisory) which include recommendations against nonessential travel, for Mainland China and Hong Kong. Taiwan recently was upgraded from a Travel Advisory to a State Department Travel Warning.

The U.S. State Department currently has in place Travel Warnings (its highest level of advisory) for Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. The U.S. State Department has in place a Public Announcement for Taiwan. See Travel Warnings.

Study Abroad
Iowa State University does not sponsor student study/work abroad activities in locations under a U.S. State Department Warning. Additionally, Iowa State University may choose not to sponsor student study/work abroad to areas under a U.S. State Department Public Announcement and Centers for Disease Control Advisory.

Further, the best medical advice we can obtain suggests that the SARS situation will most probably get worse. Given this situation, and because our first priority has to be the health and safety of our students, the Study Abroad Risk Management Committee has decided to cancel current ISU sponsored abroad programs in the following countries until further notice: China, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The Study Abroad Risk Management Committee has also cancelled a current ISU sponsored abroad program, due to safety and security, in the following country for which there is a U.S. State Department Warning: Turkey.

If you have questions, please contact Thielen Student Health Center at (515) 294-5801 or International Education Services at (515) 294-0375.

Faculty and staff travel
University-supported travel to Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Hanoi, Vietnam, should be postponed, unless the appropriate vice president has been consulted. It appears that travel to these areas poses high risks. Travelers may be quarantined or bring the disease back to campus, substantially increasing the university community's exposure. A number of trips to these areas may already be planned; vice presidents are asking units reporting to them to review and consult before proceeding with any travel plans to these areas.