Austin ISD Nixes International Travel Over Coronavirus Fears

AUSTIN, TX — The Austin Independent School District has canceled all international school trips this month over new coronavirus fears, officials announced.

In a letter sent to parents and guardians, Superintendent Paul Cruz wrote district officials would continue to assess the impact of respiratory illness outbreak stemming from the since-renamed COVID-19 as it relate to travel. COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.

“Out of an abundance of caution and to be in alignment with other governmental partners, Austin ISD has canceled all district-sponsored international school trips through March 31 because of the increased risk of exposure to the Coronavirus,” Cruz wrote.

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In addition to school-sanctioned travel, students and their families also should avoid traveling to countries with high COVID-19 concentration — particularly China, Iran, Italy and South Korea — the superintendent said. The travel advisory comes ahead of Spring Break when students are poised for travel as a respite from their studies.

In his letter, Cruz also advised students not to show up for class if they recently had a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher. Students who have experienced fever should consult their physicians before returning to school, the superintendent advised.

Austin ISD covers a vast region covering most of the capital city and surrounding communities, including the City of Sunset Valley, the Village of San Leanna and unincorporated areas within Travis County, according to information found in the district's website. The district operates 129 schools — including 84 elementary schools, 19 middle schools and 17 high schools — serving some 80,900 students.