Coronavirus update – travelers to Iran must stay home upon return

This message was originally sent to employees by Sandra Banks, vice-president, University Relations.

What is new today:

The provost has suspended University-sanctioned travel to Iran until further notice.

Travellers returning from Iran must stay home and avoid contact with others for 14 days after returning to Canada. Travellers returning from Hubei province in China must also stay home and avoid contact with others for 14 days. 

Travellers returning from other areas of China, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore and South Korea must watch their health for 14 days. If you have been to any of these countries and feel unwell, you should contact your family doctor to book an appointment.

We have put in place an expanded emergency response group to plan for longer term contingency operations if the COVID-19 situation continues. James Rush, vice-president academic and provost, is leading this group. We care about our community and want to make sure we can continue to operate safely if the situation continues. This new planning will add to the ongoing efforts to monitor the situation and respond to developments.

Risks of COVID-19 remain low for Waterloo

Coronavirus - or COVID-19 - continues to evolve and expand globally. The risk for Canada is still low but changes internationally mean we are sharing new steps you must follow if you have been travelling.

You can check in on all the latest information for the University of Waterloo community on our website. We’ve added an answer to a question we are getting about large gatherings. For now, public health does not recommend you change your plans.

Remember these important ways to maintain proper hygiene and protect yourself:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces you touch often, like your laptop or mobile phone.

Travellers should take precautions

If you have travelled to Iran or Hubei province in China you should:

• stay at home and avoid contact with others for a total of 14 days from the date you left Hubei, and
• contact Region of Waterloo Public Health within 24 hours of arriving in Canada. Students can also contact Health Services on 519-888-4096. Employees can contact Occupational Health.

If you have travelled to any of the following countries or regions, you should watch for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days:

• China (other than Hubei province)
• Hong Kong
• Italy
• Japan
• Singapore
• South Korea

If you have travelled to these countries and you feel unwell you should contact your family doctor or call Health Services at 519-888-4096 to book an appointment. You should also avoid contact with others. Avoiding contact with others – also called self-isolation – means:

• stay home from school or work,
• avoid public places
• do not take public transit, and
• do not have visitors.

Help is available if you need it

Thank you for your attention to these matters. We will continue to provide updates to our campus community as the situation unfolds or changes. If you have questions or concerns please email coronavirus@uwaterloo.ca and our teams will help to find the right campus contact.