Dear Campus Community,

In recent weeks, you have received various updates with information related to the widening COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak and the ways the situation may affect our campus and surrounding Champaign-Urbana community. As we approach our upcoming spring break on March 14-22, there are some health-related precautious I would like to share with you.

For those traveling domestically or abroad during spring break, I urge you to monitor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State Department travel advisories for all destinations where you will be traveling. The safety level of any given destination could change before or during your trip, making it difficult to return to campus by the March 23 resumption of classes.

Our current policy is that any individual who travels to a CDC COVID-19 Level 2 or Level 3 country will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus. For more information, please see the university’s Self-Quarantine Policy.

Additionally, if you are a student and returning to the United States from a high-risk region:

You must complete the COVID-19 Travel Risk Screening Form (located under Forms), accessible through the MyMcKinley student portal, https://mymckinley.illinois.edu.

complete the (located under Forms), accessible through the MyMcKinley student portal, https://mymckinley.illinois.edu. You may contact McKinley Health Center via email at studenthealthcenter@illinois.edu or phone at (217) 333-2700 for guidance.

As you know, other universities have announced alternatives to in-person classes for their students. We are continuing to look at a variety of options for delivering classroom instruction, in the event that face-to-face instruction needs to be suspended.

As a precaution, if you leave campus for Spring Break, we strongly advise that you take with you everything that you would need to continue your studies if the decision was made to suspend in-person classes. This could include books, computers, supplies, etc. Please also continue to check your email and the COVID-19 website for updates and more specific information on these decisions from the university and from your colleges and units.

If you have additional questions, I encourage you to reach out to the following resources:

Regardless of your destination, here are some spring break safety tips to follow:

Designate an emergency contact and leave itinerary, contact info, ID numbers, and credit/debit info with them. Always be aware of your surroundings and how to get back to your hotel. Only take what you absolutely need. Keep valuables, IDs, and money secured while away. Know what VISA, ID, or passport is required to reach your destination. Inform bank providers you will be traveling to avoid service disruption.

Together with my university colleagues, I will continue to carefully monitor developments that might affect the health and safety of our community. I will also continue to work closely with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to take necessary precautions and will communicate critical updates to the campus community as new information becomes available.

Sincerely,

Robert Parker, FACP, MBA, MD

Director, McKinley Health Center