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 11:58 a.m. Mar 5, 2020 — Updated 1:35 a.m. Mar 6, 2020

Laura Leslie

, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has extended travel restrictions to combat the spread of a new coronavirus strain.

UNC-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.

"That’s places where they were planning to go," McBride said. "One of my really good friends is from California and was planning to fly home, and [she] is now having to decide, if she still does that and then risks that two-week window of not being able to partake in our class activities and stuff."

It's possible some students may not follow the quarantine rule, especially if they're headed home to one of those states, she said.

Suspect coronavirus? Don't go to ER, urgent care or your doctor's office

The more than 12,000 people who work for the university will feel the impact, too. It's the fifth largest employer in the Triangle, and it's just the latest to impose domestic travel restrictions due to coronavirus.

Red Hat and IBM have banned some domestic travel, and both have turned major conferences into digital events.

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.

Elsewhere, Amazon, Google, Ford and other firms are restricting travel, too. Some are also asking employees to work from home.

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.

"This is an evolving and fluid situation," Guskiewicz said, noting that the university's website will also provide regular updates.

Suggest A Correction