Rider University Pulls Student From Italy Over Coronavirus Concern

Rider University in Lawrenceville has announced that it's pulling one of its students from studying abroad over coronavirus concerns, according to the Lawrenceville Patch.

The student, who was studying in Italy, will return home. The CDC has placed Italy under a level three travel advisory as the virus has begun to spread through parts of the country. A level three travel advisory means that the CDC is recommending travelers avoid all nonessential travel to the country.

Additionally, Rider has also postponed all University-related travel to mainland China for students, faculty, and staff until further notice.

The President of the University, Greg Dell'Omo, said on the Rider website, "The University continues to closely monitor the evolving worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The situation is changing quickly."

The University is in contact with all programs that have students abroad at this time, Patch reports. 

"We are working with public health officials and monitoring guidelines and recommendations from public health organizations including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. Department of State and New Jersey Department of Health," Dell'Omo said. 

There have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in New Jersey as of this morning (Tuesday, March 3rd).

As a reminder, the CDC is recommending everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

You can visit the CDC's website for more information on the virus.