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UNCC cancels some spring break study abroad programs due to coronavirus

By WSOCTV.com News Staff
By WSOCTV.com News Staff

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As local school districts make plans to prepare for COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is also making changes.

UNCC announced Thursday it is canceling spring break study abroad programs to China, South Korea, Japan and northern Italy due to the coronavirus.

This comes days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans to prepare for the possible spread of the virus. The CDC said it’s not about if it will spread, but when it will.

Channel 9′s Erin Edwards was told the programs were scheduled to start Saturday. Students she spoke with said they were supposed to be heading to the airport for a 7 a.m. flight to Japan.

Another student said she is already there and scrambling to find a place to stay and get a flight back home. Her mother said she started her trip to Japan early to visit a friend at a Navy base there.

“Her pass to the naval base is only good for three days. It expires tomorrow afternoon," said the student’s mother.

In a NinerNotice to students, the school said: “The University is in regular communication with those students and faculty currently associated with study abroad programs in areas identified as affected by the virus and will continue to be until this situation is resolved. There are no reports of illness among any UNC Charlotte students or faculty studying abroad.”

Students we spoke with said they understand why the trip was canceled but they’re left wondering why the decision was made less than two days before the international program was set to start.

“She spent roughly $1,200 on these plane tickets there and back. Now that she has to leave early, that’s an additional $1,100 she’s going to have to pay in airfares," said a student’s mother.

Students said the Japan study abroad program costs around $2,000 and that’s not including plane tickets. The program is also three class credits.

“She has to have this study abroad to graduate May 9," said a student’s mother.

As for receiving credits, in an email to students, one professor said students are still enrolled in the class and will receive credits as long as they complete an assignment. The university also said it will reimburse students who left for the trip early and refund the program fee to all students.

Statement from UNC Charlotte:

“To ensure the health and wellbeing of students, UNC Charlotte canceled spring break programs to several countries, and the University is working to minimize the impact of this decision. Students who traveled to these destinations earlier than the University-sponsored spring break program departure date are being actively assisted to return home including reimbursing their accommodations and any airline change fees. The University is also refunding the entire program fee to all students in this situation.”

Coronavirus symptoms mimic flu symptoms -- fever, cough and shortness of breath. North Carolina has a helpline if people have questions.

Channel 9 learned Thursday that the hotline has already received just over 300 calls. Some of the main questions people have include if travel is safe, if the illness they have is coronavirus or if they can get the virus from products bought from China.

Additional coverage of the novel coronavirus:

The North Carolina governor also has a coronavirus task force urging people to get prepared and take appropriate measures in case of a possible outbreak.

So far, more than 50 people in the United States have tested positive for the virus, and tens of thousands of people have been infected around the globe.

Currently, there are no confirmed cases in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Division of Public Health has established a call line at 1-866-462-3821 to address general questions about coronavirus from the public.

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