It has advised faculty and staff to follow federal travel advisories that, as of Friday, warned against going to China. More than 350,000 Chinese students are pursuing higher education in the United States and 10,000 American students are enrolled in academic programs in China. “The challenge is making sure that we are being prudent without overstating the risk.”In dealing with the new outbreak, officials at U.S. colleges and universities can draw from their experiences with previous public health scares, including the 2003 outbreak of the SARS coronavirus. A ‘DELICATE BALANCE’At University of Illinois, with some 5,800 Chinese students, Kaler sees a challenge in keeping the campus free of the new coronavirus without infringing on rights or fanning xenophobia. There is a need to strike a “delicate balance” between public safety and personal freedom when dealing with a growing public health issue, Kaler said.

Source: National Post February 02, 2020 12:00 UTC