Baker Wants Mass. Schools To Cancel Trips Abroad Due To Coronavirus Fears
BOSTON (CBS) -- Gov. Charlie Baker asked colleges and high schools in Massachusetts to cancel international school trips due to coronavirus risks Wednesday morning during a news conference. Baker also reminded residents that coronavirus risk in the state is still low.
This comes in the wake of the CDC issuing updated guidance Tuesday night directing people who have returned from China, South Korea, Italy and Iran to self-quarantine for 14 days. Baker said he has been meeting with public health experts and stakeholders, as well as coordinating with federal agencies, in the past few days to come up with coronavirus precautions and guidelines for institutions.
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"Our hospitals, long-term care facilities, schools and public transportation entities all have critical roles to play," he said. "And our administration remains committed to serving as a resources for these entities who are serving on the frontlines of these ongoing efforts."
In just a few days, 18 Assumption College students will return to Worcester from the school's Rome campus. When the students return, they will be under a 14-day quarantine. Assumption College President Francesco Cesareo said it was a tough decision.
"The program is based on utilizing the city as the classroom," Cesareo said. "We didn't want to be in a situation where it might be difficult to get them home if we wanted to get them home, so we had to make that decision."
Tewksbury Memorial High School students who traveled to Europe in February have been warned that they may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
The Department of Public Health informed them that someone on their return flight from Munich has a presumptive case of coronavirus. All of the students and staff have been asked to self-quarantine until Saturday.
UMass Amherst chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said his university has canceled study abroad programs in countries with a level 3 risk of coronavirus and is keeping residence and dining halls open for any international students who may not wish to return home during spring break due to the threat. The university may even keep dorms and dining halls open through the summer.
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The chancellor said the university was already requiring a two week self-quarantine period for students returning from level 3 risk countries. The university has also identified places on campus that can be used for isolation of infected individuals if necessary, and is ramping up online courses in case the campus needs to close. So far, the university has not had any coronavirus cases.
"I want everyone to know that we're doing everything we can to protect the people here in the Commonwealth," Baker said. "And I also want people to know that they can protect against the spread themselves, as has been discussed many times before. Use common sense, practice good hygiene and if you are sick, stay home."
The MBTA said it will now clean handrails, benches and fare equipment every four hours.
"We are in the process of getting hand sanitizer type equipment out into our facilities and also ramping up a process by which we are disinfecting vehicles and stations," MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said.
Massachusetts still has one positive coronavirus case as well as one presumed positive case. So far, 20 people have been tested for the disease, a total of 719 people have self-quarantined and 470 of those people have completed that 14 day monitoring period. Marylou Sudders, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said they will be updating these numbers every Wednesday.
Gov. Baker and state health officials detailed the precautions the state is taking against the coronavirus Monday.