Coronavirus and Tri-S: March 10 Update

​As of 3/10/2020, the trip to London has been postponed until May, but the trips to Iceland, Costa Rica, and Antigua/Barbuda are still going.

 
The group making this decision, which includes President Pistole, utilized the latest information from the Centers For Disease Control, World Health Organization, and the U.S. State Department in addition to closely monitoring international student travel organizations like the Council on International Educational Exchange. The COVID19 outbreak conditions have been checked in each of these countries as well as governmental information.  AU has organizational or personal contacts in all three countries and these resources have been consulted.
 
The outbreak in Iceland is small and most of the cases were from two airline flights and those people are in quarantine. Iceland’s government has issued a statement declaring that tourists are welcome and there is no mandatory quarantine for tourists from countries outside of the hotzones (South Korea, China, Italy, Austria). We are working with a reputable tourist agency that provides support for AU students in Iceland.
 
Costa Rica has nine cases. AU students will be working with a large organization, Praying Pelican Ministries, and will be far from the inhabited infected areas.
 
Antigua and Barbuda has no cases at this time and one trip leader is from this nation and has family members that can aid the trip.
 
The conditions in these nations are monitored daily and the safety of AU students/faculty/staff is paramount. We will not travel to sites that endanger our people more than staying in the U.S. would.
 
April and May trips are currently under review.