COVID-19 Update - International travel strongly discouraged

This notice is from the archives of The Notice Board. Information contained in this notice was accurate at the time of publication but may no longer be so.

In consideration of the significant impact COVID-19 (coronavirus) is having in some international countries, the University of Lethbridge strongly recommends that employees and students avoid all non-essential international university travel.

The U of L is a hub for international activity, which makes this an important issue for our institution. The University recommends strongly that all individuals considering international travel be fully aware of the COVID-19 risks in their destination country by visiting the Government of Canada Travel Advisory website. As well, it is important to keep in mind through which countries flights may be connecting en route to a final destination.

Further, for those travelling internationally, it is important to know that students participating in a University-related activity outside of Canada are required to register their travel with the University through the Campus Safety, Travel Abroad Registry prior to departure (Student Safety Abroad Policy). Faculty and staff are also strongly encouraged to register their business travel at the University’s Safety Abroad Registry website.

Those who choose to travel should be aware they may be expected to self-isolate for a period of 14 days upon return to Canada. As of this date (Mar. 5, 2020), those who choose to make travel plans, register for conferences or incur any costs associated with travel will receive no financial reimbursement should the travel be cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 situation.

The current risk to Albertans (and Alberta students) is low and there are no confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 in Alberta at this time. We encourage our community to remain informed about this evolving situation. For the most current information, go to the Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services websites.

The U of L is monitoring closely the COVID-19 situation. Campus Safety continues to bring together relevant campus units on a regular basis to ensure quick action can be taken as this dynamic situation continues to evolve. Some decisions have been made in response to COVID-19, including suspending the presence of U of L student recruiters in China for the time being. Additionally, the Health Centre has implemented protocols to accommodate any member of our campus community who might exhibit symptoms consistent with the virus.

The safety of our campus community is of the utmost importance. The University will continue to provide regular updates on this situation including any further actions.

If you have any further questions or require more information, contact COVID19.inquiries@uleth.ca.


Contact:

Trevor Kenney | trevor.kenney@uleth.ca | 403-329-2710 | uleth.ca/risk-and-safety-services/covid-19