The University of California places the highest priority on protecting the public health and well-being of members of our campus communities. Because of concerns about potential health risks, UC Office of the President has decided to issue systemwide guidelines pertaining to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

In keeping with the international recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the University:

- strongly advises students, faculty and staff to postpone all non-essential travel to SARS affected countries and regions until the CDC’s travel advisories are modified or rescinded;

- recommends that campus officials strongly consider suspending or postponing upcoming programs hosting groups of students from SARS affected countries or regions until travel advisories are modified or rescinded.

"Individuals from countries that have an advisory in effect risk exporting SARS or becoming ill themselves during travel," said UCOP Vice President for Health Affairs Michael Drake. "We support the CDC recommendation to avoid non-essential travel."

Advisories in effect as of May 5, 2003 include those for Mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Singapore, and Taiwan. The CDC has also issued travel alerts for Hanoi, Vietnam; and Toronto, Canada, to recommend that U.S. travelers to any of these places observe precautions to safeguard their health.

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