Dozens of school kids won’t be heading abroad this spring after two Calgary school boards cancelled overseas trips because of concerns around the fast-spreading and far-reaching coronavirus.
The CBE said in an emailed statement on Thursday that five trips to Italy, Japan and Taiwan set for March and April were cancelled on Thursday and more could also be quashed.
“As a system, we have rigorous processes in place leading up to and during international travel,” the board said. “Recent health effects across the globe surrounding the coronavirus have caused us to take time to reflect on trips outside of Canada.”
The board said other international travel is also being reviewed, and scheduled trips “could be cancelled at any time.”
“This was an extremely difficult decision, and one we did not make lightly,” the board said. “We are meeting with impacted families next week to discuss the decision and review next steps.”
In a statement on Friday, the Calgary Catholic School District also said two student trips to Italy were being called off because of the virus.
“We are currently investigating the possibility of alternative travel locations for these students,” the board said.
“The district also continues to monitor other international trips that have been scheduled for Europe during Easter and may still look at the possibility of cancellation.”
The school board said it will work with insurance companies and the travel and tour companies involved to “lessen any financial impact on our students and the district,” adding it’s meeting with student families to determine what to do next.
“This is a difficult decision,” the board said, “but our first priority is the health and safety of our students and staff.”
A high school in the Okanagan region of B.C. also cancelled a trip to Europe on Thursday, citing coronavirus concerns.
International concerns about COVID-19 have been growing in recent days, as the outbreak has spread to countries including France, Italy and Iran, with hundreds of people across those countries falling ill with the serious virus.
South Korea and China, where the illness is most prevalent, reported hundreds of more cases on Thursday, with a total of 1,595 cases in South Korea and an estimated 78,497 cases in China with 2,744 deaths.
More information on the coronavirus can be found on the Alberta Health website.
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