PEORIA, Ill. — Bradley University is keeping in contact with students studying over seas about coronavirus.
Currently, 36 Bradley students are studying overseas in 15 different countries.
Nathan Thomas, the Vice President of Student Affairs, said that the students use affiliate institutions for the Study Abroad Program.
“They’re managed by professionals, most of them have people on site within those countries. They’re working with a host of students, including our own students,” Thomas said.
According to Thomas, there are three scenarios that are being followed. The first is several study abroad affiliates have already canceled programs and students can continue their studies online. Those students are in the process of coming back to the states.
“Several of them have provided options for students, if the should choose to leave those programs to continue their studies online or in various different capacities,” Thomas said.
Some programs have not made formal recommendations yet on what students should do.
“This is very much an evolving situation across the country, across the globe,” Thomas said. “We’re paying very, very close attention to CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommendations, travel advisories, all those things that may be in place.”
Thomas said the students deserve the communication while they are away from home and the virus spreads.
The students at Bradley are well versed in health precautions such was covering up coughs, washing hands, etc., according to Thomas. Bradley is contracted with OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, and will help for when those students come home or if students travel for spring break.
The country where students are located that is most concerning to the university is Italy.
“We have a number of students in Italy, and that situation is moving quickly. And, that’s the spot where we’ve had a number of communications with our students. But, also that’s where programs have been shut down,” Thomas said.
The university is recommending the students who are placed in Italy to come home, they are not required to return back to Illinois at this time.
When the students do return, the university is asking students to quarantine themselves for 14 days at home before they return to campus.
“Which is pretty much the recommended guidelines at this point,” Thomas said.
Some will not return to classes on campus because their overseas classes will be continued online.
Thomas said if there a reason to be concerned for a student’s health, they will be referred to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.
“Specifically for those testings. There hasn’t been a test made available to general clinics which is where we would fall,” Thomas said. “We’re taking all that guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health.”
Bradley Health Services will still see students who are sick, then determine what should be done for their health.
“In most cases, we’ll probably see those patients initially, and then make some initial decisions on whether or not they may have been in areas where they could have been exposed, and follow some of that guidance of where our students have traveled to,” Thomas said.
