Due to Trump’s suspension of all travel from Europe to the United States (U.S.) for the next 30 days, many American’s traveling abroad are now faced with a new reality. As an American teaching abroad in Italy, I was just one of the individuals faced with a series of difficult decisions ahead.
On March 4th, 2020, I made the difficult decision to fly from Rome, Italy to New York City. On that same day, not only did Italy close all of its schools, but the Government of Italy also implemented enhanced screening and quarantine measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As of 12 AM March 3, all passengers on U.S. bound flights whose temperature is higher than 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit are not being able to board.
Now, as someone who could confidently answer no to all of the questions on the mandated Traveller Public Health Declaration Form (see below) I shouldn’t be worried, right? How wrong I was…
Public Health Information
Today or in the past 48 hours, have you had any of the following symptoms?
- Fever (37.5 C or higher), feeling feverish, or having chills?
- Cough and/or sore throat?
- Conjunctivitis?
- Breathing difficulties?
In the past 14 days, have you done any of the following?
- Lived in the same household or had contact (e.g., friends, relatives) with a person sick with COVID-19?
- Worked in a health-care facility treating COVID-19 patients or a laboratory analyzing COVID-19 specimens, or touched a dead body in a country with COVID-19 outbreak without using personal protective equipment?
- Stayed in an area with SARS-COV2 active transmission?
I can tell you that I, alone, was not the only passenger hiding away hyperventilating in an airport bathroom stall popping Ibuprofen before the plane ride. When I finally handed the flight attendant my form, I held my breath as she asked me to remove my scarf, hat, and sunglasses to get my temperature read. As I anxiously crept over to the scanner, one foot after the other, through my peripheral, a sense of disbelief and abundant gratitude flooded through me as I got a thumbs up. After weeks of uncertainty surrounding my fate, I was certain of this: there was nothing stopping me from boarding this plane to safety..at least, I thought.
I thought I would be leaving the heart of the coronavirus outbreak and fear behind me in Italy, but it only came flooding through me once again as I landed in New York City. As soon as I landed, I got an email that urged any student or employee returning to the U.S. from a destination with a CDC travel health notice of a level 3 or higher must self-isolate for 14 days prior to returning to the Pittsburgh campus.
Since parts of Italy are now at a level 4 travel notice, meaning – do not travel – individuals like me returning to the U.S. would have to return to their homes or similarly suitable locations as protective measures for themselves or others. But where do you go if your family and roommates work in healthcare, with the most vulnerable populations – the elderly, and those with breathing difficulties? Many Americans traveling abroad had to where to go, and no where to hide.
But in this difficult time, I wasn’t worried about Americans like me who were already back in the U.S. safe and sound. My heart went out to my friends, students, and colleagues, who were still abroad in Italy, awaiting their fate.
Just 5 short days after Italy shut down all schools, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that the entire country would go into lockdown, leaving 60 million people homebound.
If you’re in the U.S. and you think the shut down in Italy won’t affect you, you are sadly mistaken. Public universities across the U.S. and local universities here in Pennsylvania like Duquesne University, Slippery Rock, Temple, The University of Pennsylvania, and The University of Pennsylvania have closed. At the direction this is heading, public schools are not far behind. Events are being canceled left and right. Individuals like myself are either being displaced from school and work, or forced to work from home.
What if you don’t have a place to live or stay temporarily? What if you have concerns with citizenship/immigration status or documentation, or can’t go back home because of border control? What if you may have to return to a difficult or dangerous home life? What if working or studying from home isn’t an option? What if you don’t have access to technology at home to complete your work or education online? What if you relied on your campus job or local employment to pay your bills? What if you lack access to important physical and/or mental health resources? What if you don’t have access to food? What now!?
If you are reading this and you are in the majority of Americans that don’t have to worry about the questions posed above, do not waste your time panicking! Try to keep calm, and help those who don’t have anywhere to call home, who don’t have access to healthcare, education, or even the basic living necessities.
In the meantime be on the lookout for my next post on the Top 10 Ways to Keep Calm With The Coronavirus (coming soon!), which will give you practical tips (&tricks!) to support those in need, as well as to help you or someone you know during this time!
