Interim Policy Advising Against Travel to SARS-Affected Areas

 

Note: Superseded by University of Arizona Guidelines on Travel to Areas of the World Affected By Infectious Disease Epidemics

 

May 1, 2003

 

To: The Campus Community

 

From: Peter Likins, President

 

After consulting with members of the University community, including public health specialists, we have adopted the following interim policy on Travel to SARS-Affected Areas, effective immediately

 

Interim Policy Advising Against Travel to SARS-Affected Areas

 

In accordance with Centers for Disease Control guidelines, the University of Arizona is taking the following position in response to the worldwide health alert regarding Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS):

The University of Arizona strongly advises faculty, staff and students to postpone or avoid any non-essential travel to regions of the world significantly affected by SARS. This policy is also applicable to those faculty, staff and students who may now be in these affected regions.

 

Out of concern for their own health and for the health of those with whom they live and work, UA faculty, staff or students who choose to travel to areas of the world affected by SARS are expected to monitor their health closely for 10 days following their return. Should they develop a fever over 100.4 degrees F (38.0 degrees C) that is accompanied by cough and/or difficulty breathing or that progresses to cough and/or difficulty breathing, a health care provider should be contacted immediately and informed of possible SARS exposure.

 

The University of Arizona has adopted this policy to encourage informed decision-making regarding travel and to support infectious disease management. Should the CDC revise its recommendations, University policy will be modified to maintain consistency.

 

Information Resources

 

The CDC has issued a travel advisory suggesting that people planning elective or non-essential travel to mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Hanoi, Vietnam, may wish to postpone their trips until further notice. The CDC has also issued travel alerts for Toronto, Canada, and Taiwan to recommend that U.S. travelers to Toronto or Taiwan observe precautions to safeguard their health. For updated information on areas of the world affected by SARS and the latest US government and World Health

 

Organization advisories, please access the following websites:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars
http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/

 

Further information on exposure management can be found by accessing the following website:http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/exposuremanagement.htm

 

If UA faculty, staff or students would like assistance in their travel decision making, they can contact the Immunization Clinic at the Campus Health Service at 621-2292 or the Pima County Health Department at 740-8315 and ask for the "epi on call" to get the health department's Epidemiologist on call. Both of these resources are available during normal business hours Monday through Friday.