Monday, March 2, 2020
Announcements, Community
By News and Internal Communications
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – Editor’s Note: The following message was sent via email from Doug Arney, vice president for Administrative Support Services, on March 2, 2020.
Dear UTRGV Community:
As an update to our January 31st Travel Notice, we continue to monitor the progression of the COVID-19 outbreak and take proactive measures to mitigate an impact to our campus community. Although there are currently no cases in our area and the risk to our campus community remains low, we continue to coordinate with our local and state health authorities for a potential impact to our campus community.
The U.S. State Department has issued the following Travel Advisories related to COVID-19:
China – Level 4 – Do Not Travel.
Iran – Level 4 – Do Not Travel.
South Korea – Level 3 – Reconsider Travel with Level 4 – Do Not Travel to Daegu.
Italy – Level 3 – Reconsider Travel with Level 4 – Do Not Travel to Lombardy and Veneto.
Mongolia – Level 3 – Reconsider Travel.
Japan – Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution.
Hong Kong – Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution.
Macau – Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution.
In anticipation that additional countries will receive elevated travel warnings, we continually review both inbound and outbound UTRGV related international travel.
Currently we have cancelled all programs to Japan, Italy, Korea, and China.
With Spring Break closely approaching we strongly urge you to reconsider travel to any areas with travel restrictions (CDC travel warnings), and wherever you go, continue to use basic germ prevention techniques:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
- Wash your hands with soap and water; if neither are available use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Our main concern is the health, safety, and security of our UTRGV community.
ABOUT UTRGV
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.
UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.