UNC-CH, local businesses restrict travel because of coronavirus
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has extended travel restrictions to combat the spread of a new coronavirus strain.
Posted — UpdatedUNC-Chapel Hill previously halted university-funded travel to China, South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan, but Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said travel has also been suspended to California, Florida and Washington state, all of which have declared states of emergency related to coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19.
Anyone who travels to those states or countries is being asked to quarantine themselves for 14 days when they return.
"We did not come to these decisions lightly," Guskiewicz said in a statement, adding that university officials want to "take responsible, proactive steps to help protect members of our campus community and mitigate the potential impact to our campus."
The decision comes days before spring break for the campus.
Nursing student Lydia McBride said she is heading to Puerto Rico over the break and won't be affected, but some of her classmates are stressed because they are headed to places on the restricted list.
It's possible some students may not follow the quarantine rule, especially if they're headed home to one of those states, she said.
Food Lion, which is based in Salisbury, has also banned non-essential business travel inside and outside the U.S.
Duke University and North Carolina State University are limiting international travel but not domestic travel at this point. State agencies have no travel restrictions in place, although officials recommend that travelers follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Business traveler Graham Brooks, who arrived in Raleigh from Denver on Thursday afternoon, said he flies almost every week, and he understands the concern.
"[It's] more about transport than personal risk. Could I actually be a carrier between one office and another or between one state and another, which would propagate the virus?" Brooks said.
He said he is already thinking about alternate plans if the outbreak widens.
"I’m fortunately in a job that I can do remotely, so that’s definitely an option and something that I enjoy doing anyway," he said.
UNC-Chapel Hill has established a hotline for students and employees with questions at 919-445-5000.
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