College junior Jason Lewis had been looking forward to a summer of digging and discovery. He had plans with the National Youth Leadership Forum's International Mission on Anthropology and Archaeology to embark on an educational trip to China.
Yet because of Sever Acute Respiratory Syndrome, the trip was postponed until next year.
"I was excited to go to China with the SARS epidemic because it added an element of danger and surprise, which I like," Lewis said. "I was really disappointed I couldn't go."
In light of the recent developments of the SARS in the affected areas, Penn is following the national trend by implementing new policies affecting its whole community.
The University has issued a moratorium to all SARS-affected areas. However, the list of locations at risk is constantly changing, as Singapore, Vietnam and Toronto are now considered SARS-free zones.
Because of this moratorium, two summer graduate programs at Penn have been cancelled -- INSEAD, the Wharton MBA exchange program with Singapore, and the Lauder program in China.
Thus students planning to study in SARS-affected areas next fall, may have to be prepared to reconsider their choices. If SARS continues to pose a threat in Hong Kong and inland China, Penn programs there will likely be cancelled.
However, SARS has not yet forced administrators to put any further restrictions to international programs.
"There has been no effect with incoming programs," Office of International Programs executive Director Joyce Randolph said.
The University's newly adopted policy concerning SARS also addresses protocol for students and faculty coming from SARS-affected areas.
They are asked -- but not required -- to check in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to have their temperatures taken. If they have been in contact with the SARS virus, they will be quarantined for 10 days. Otherwise, they should simply call the hospital twice a day for 10 days, so to continue monitoring their health conditions. A person will be hospitalized only if possible symptoms of SARS appear.
"Epidemiologically, there has been no transmission of illness unless [people] are already sick. Our policy is predicated upon that fact," said Neil Fishman, the director of Healthcare, Epidemiology and Infection Control at HUP.
The rationale behind this policy lies in the recommendations recently issued by both the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control.
"We have felt from the beginning that we needed to respond in the most effective way from a medical point of view," Deputy Provost Peter Conn said. This policy "strikes a balance between the level of concern... and the tendency to overreact. The position we have taken... is within the areas of larger medical concern."
"There is still a lot we don't know about the disease," Fishman said. "But it seems to be burning out."
After the virulent first round, which started in early March, Fishman said that SARS -- now identified as a new corona virus -- is likely to become a seasonal illness. However, "it remains to be seen if it will be as virulent, as in this case."
In the future, Fishman said, it is likely that the disease may pose a lesser risk, both because people's bodies will already producing antibodies against it and because vaccines are being developed.
But regardless of possible future outbreaks, SARS is currently being fought through medical intervention and education.
At Penn, officials have implemented both interventional and educational measures with new policies and updates. Through e-mails sent to all Penn affiliates by the office of the Provost, the University provided information about the disease and phone numbers to contact with concerns.
"We are organized to respond to this," Conn said. "We have a task force, we keep in touch with national and international agencies, and we will continue to respond as the circumstances require."
Other universities are also adopting new policies as a response to the virus.
At University of California at Berkeley, administrators announced in early May that students coming from China and Taiwan could not enroll in summer programs. However, after receiving widespread criticism, they university modified its policy to allow 124 students from SARS-affected countries to attend. These students will not be quarantined or require medical certification, but the university has established isolation areas for those who experience symptoms.
Other universities are adopting protective measures as well. For example, Harvard University has announced that it will not sponsor any trips to the affected areas. Also, the university's Health Services has recommended that people come to its offices before leaving for SARS-affected areas. Further, the university encourages travelers re-entering the country from these areas to avoid coming on campus for 10 days after their return.
"We watch the CDC and the WHO and we make the appropriate decisions after that," Harvard University Health Services Director David Rosenthal said.
