Swine Flu update in Mexico.

IFSA-Butler Swine Flu Update-May 6, 2009

IFSA-Butler is keeping all of its programs, including Yucatán, Mexico, open for the upcoming summer term. Our students' safety is always our top priority, but we do not believe that the H1N1 situation has warranted the closure of current or upcoming programs. Universities in Mexico re-opened today following a mandatory 7-day closure, and we therefore will resume accepting applications for our Mexico summer programs until May 21.

Our Mexico summer program includes both intermediate and advanced levels of Spanish instruction. Students at both levels are taught in Spanish and take unique courses such as Introduction to Underwater Archaeology, Doing Business in Mexico, and Maya Culture and Civilization.

In the other countries where we have programs, our resident offices have also been monitoring the H1N1 situations and have been sending our students regular updates about the latest developments and safety precautions.

We will certainly continue to monitor this situation and post regular statements on this page.

IFSA-Butler Swine Flu Update-May 1, 2009

IFSA-Butler is keeping all of its programs, including Yucatán, Mexico, open for the upcoming summer term. We are monitoring the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus (Swine Flu strain), but we do not believe that the situation as it stands now warrants the closure of current or upcoming programs. We are continuing to accept applications for both of our Mexico summer programs.

We will review the situation on a daily basis and will keep our partners informed of any changes in program status. We also will post regular statements on this page.

IFSA-Butler Allows Early Departure from Mexico

The Institute for Study Abroad recognizes that news of the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) in Mexico has caused concern among our students, their families and advisors across the United States. IFSA-Butler, after much consultation with our Mérida resident director and the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, therefore has determined to offer spring and full year 2008-09 students the opportunity to leave the program early. The IFSA-Butler program in Mérida will continue to serve students who choose to stay until the scheduled end of the program on May 23.

For any students who decide to take this option, host families will help by taking them to the airport. Students who depart the program early will receive full academic credit provided that they complete all required coursework and send it to professors via e-mail by the established deadline.

IFSA-Butler Swine Flu Statement

The Institute for Study Abroad is continuing to monitor the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus (Swine Flu strain) in Mexico and other countries. Outbreaks have been reported in Mexico, mostly in the Mexico City area, but neither the World Health Organization nor Mexico's Secretariat of Health has reported any cases in the Yucatán region.

In an effort to stop the spread of the virus, Mexican officials have closed all schools and universities until May 6. Three of those days are national holidays, so IFSA-Butler students in Mexico will be missing only three days of classes. Our resident director in Mexico, Diana Arízaga, has taken the following steps toward helping IFSA-Butler students in this situation:

1. Distributed face masks to IFSA-Butler students in Mexico on Monday, April 27.
2. Issued a strict warning to our students that the university closure is not a time to travel but instead to stay home with host families in order to avoid contact with the virus.
3. Sent two official messages to all program students with information about the outbreaks.
4. Sent the latest U.S. Consular message to our students.
5. Continues to update students with sanitary precautions for avoiding the virus.

At this point IFSA-Butler has no plans to close any of its programs, including Mexico, due to this virus. We are relying heavily on World Health Organization data and facts from other reliable sources, and we are recommending that our students, parents and study abroad colleagues do the same. A list of reliable resources is included below. However, we do have contingency plans in place should events require that we return our students home early, as well as policies in the event that we need to close programs for future semesters for which we already have applicants.

Swine Flu cases have also been reported in Scotland and New Zealand, two other countries where IFSA-Butler has programs, but these cases have not been fatal.


Resources:
There are several links that we recommend for updates about the Swine Flu.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia will provide regular updates
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico
U.S. Consulate in Merida, Yucatán, Mexico
The World Health Organization
IFSA-Butler safety FAQs. Although this statement has generally pertained to war and terrorism in the past, our program closing and evacuation policy are the same regarding pandemics.

Contact:
Please feel free to contact the following IFSA-Butler staff members with any questions or concerns:
Diana Arízaga, IFSA-Butler resident director in Mexico: darizaga@ifsa-butler.org
Donnetta Praul, IFSA-Butler parent and student support services manager: dpraul@ifsa-butler.org
Ashley Anderson, IFSA-Butler program advisor for Mexico: abanders@ifsa-butler.org
Joanna Holvey Bowles, IFSA-Butler senior vice president: jholveyb@ifsa-butler.org