In light of the recent developments and outbreaks of the corona- or COVID-19 virus, numerous universities have made adjustments and are taking preliminary precautions. In addition to these decisions there are a lot of questions. You also might wonder how this affects your study abroad search, especially for the coming intake in September 2020, possibly even for Spring 2021.
The team of Webinars4you decided to write this blog post after talking to various Universities in order to answer some of your questions and hopefully take away some of your worries.
So how does this situation affect your new study abroad in 2020?
First of all, due to this pandemic that is COVID-19, you probably learned that most universities decided to close campuses and might even have cancelled classes. However, this does not mean the end of your new journey, as firstly there are numerous possibilities for the universities to continue lessons online or through other means of use and they are working hard to keep things going!
Secondly, since you are likely searching for new Study Abroad opportunities from September onwards, this has already been controlled to a large extend. We therefore encourage you to simply sign up to the Online Open Days of the University of your choice, ask questions and get more information!
Although at the time of writing it is still unsure for various countries how the coming month takes shape, especially for parts of Spain, US and some other countries, signs of recover in most other countries are already happening (reportingly 96% is recovered/ discharged).
Although governments are still coping with the situation, it is also evident that the really high risks (i.e. deaths) are pretty much everywhere low at this point and it is estimated that within the next days the daily new cases will decrease: see per country data and status here: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Facts about the corona virus:
- One of the most frequently asked questions: Should I worry about COVID-19?
As the World Health Organization (WHO) states:
‘Illness due to COVID-19 infection is generally mild, especially for children and young adults. However, it can cause serious illness, mainly in people who already have illnesses: about 1 in every 5 people who catch it need hospital care, although reportingly over 85% has mild symptoms and ´only´ under 5% are critical´. It is however understandable people are worried about how the COVID-19 outbreak will affect them and their loved ones.
We can channel our concerns into actions to protect ourselves and our communities, by first and foremost regular and thorough hand-washing and good respiratory hygiene (facemasks might help, as are mandatory in some countries, however it´s effect is being debated..). Secondly, keep informed and follow the advice of the local health authorities including any restrictions put in place on travel, movement and gatherings.’
- As far as things you should not do right now according to WHO:
The following information has been given:
- ‘Smoking
- Wearing multiple masks
- Taking antibiotics (See question 10 “Are there any medicines of therapies that can prevent or cure COVID-19?“)
In any case, if you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early to reduce the risk of developing a more severe infection and be sure to share your recent travel history with your health care provider.’
But what does all this information mean for you?
Looking at the current situation and taking into consideration that new semesters for studies will start in September 2020, whether online or on campus, we recommend contacting the University to get informed. In any case pretty much all Universities are working hard to find alternatives such as Online options or hybrid live/ online classes.
If you are not sure yet where to study, we encourage you to still look for Study Abroad programs in your country of choice and it´s still better to get prepared and get the necessary information. Various programs from countries like the Netherlands, Germany, France and Finland are available On Demand! See some of them here: https://webinars4you.com/2022/on-demand/
Even though the COVID-19 outbreak is definitely one to take very seriously, as far as contagiousness, it is important to put things in perspective, e.g. comparing to regular flu (deathrate is currently slightly higher than a heavy flu-year) and also reflect on the facts and compare to other ‘major outbreaks’.
Conclusion:
Although the situation is serious and new information and updates are still coming every day, we advise you not to let fear take over (especially by following mainstream media..) and simply take the desired measures. Focus on your health and boost your immune system in order to increase chances belonging to the 85% that does not need special medical care.
One thing for sure is that fear, as the media often displays, can result to panic and stress and they have never cured any disease however it is even scientifically proven they DO accelerate it! So practice mindfulness, rather than reading all about Covid19 jump on a bike or put on those running shoes, eat well and don´t give up on your dreams to find your Study Abroad program to enrich your life!
