The Beijing Center (TBC) has announced the cancellation of its spring 2020 semester abroad programme amid concerns of rising cases of the novel coronavirus.
TBC made its announcement on 28 January, before travel bans restricting entry into other countries from China were implemented, and before airlines began suspending routes to the country. All TBC students were able to leave Beijing and return home safely.
“This is not an easy decision, but the health and wellness of our students is a top priority. We believe the early cancellation of this spring’s programme is the right move to ensure students’ safety and provide enough time for them to work with their universities on their study plans and enrolment,” the centre said in a statement posted on their website.
The decision follows the latest US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel advisory, as well as the announcement made by The Beijing Municipal Commission of Education that all schools in Beijing will indefinitely delay reopening.
“While this has been a rough few weeks, we are grateful for the time our students had with us. Though it is ending much sooner than anticipated, we hope our students were able to enjoy their time in China and on the academic and cultural excursion to Yunnan,” the statement said.
Prior to their departure, the students were provided face masks, water, and snacks. The left over masks were donated to a local partner. TBC encouraged their students to be attentive and to self-quarantine back home as a precautionary measure.
As of this time, TBC plans to continue its 2020 summer and fall programmes as scheduled.
Meanwhile in Taiwan, Rerum Novarum Center, the Jesuit social service centre in Taipei, gave face masks to migrant workers and fishermen at 10 fishing harbours in northern Taiwan. They were instructed the correct way to wear the mask as well as the proper handwashing technique to prevent infection. The centre also encouraged employers of migrant workers to help purchase masks to protect their workers and themselves, the local people around them, and, especially, the people being cared for by the caregivers. To reinforce the message, Rerum Novarum produced instructional videos on proper handwashing in Indonesian, Filipino and Vietnamese languages.
In Hong Kong, Wah Yan College Kowloon and Wah Yan College Hong Kong donated 1,600 face masks for underprivileged people in the first two phases of their donation drive on 4 and 7 February. The masks given by alumni, parents, parishes, and various sectors were handed over to the Missionaries of Charity, which serves the homeless and desolate; Caritas Community Center – Ngau Tau Kok, which serves households living in sub-divided flats and elderly members of society; street sleepers; students of the two schools receiving full financial assistance; and other people in need. A third phase of the donation campaign is ongoing until 17 February.
The donation drives are not meant to be a territory-wide campaign, said Chinese Provincial Fr Stephen Chow SJ. “Our capacity is very limited considering the scale of the needs in Hong Kong,” he wrote in a Facebook post on 1 February. “However, we hope that our little effort can encourage more groups and individuals to contribute their goodwill in positive actions for those who cannot afford to buy masks for protection.”
Fr Chow encouraged everyone to start their own initiatives to help fight the spread of the illness. “We are all fighting this battle together.”
This article was updated on 19 February 2020.