WASHINGTON—In the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak 2019 (COVID-19), American Councils is taking preventive measures to safeguard the health and well-being of all participants worldwide. We are coordinating closely with our funders and partners to support participants in affected areas. We will continue to monitor and follow the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US State Department.
To date, American Councils has removed participants from countries where the CDC has recommended travel be deferred. When possible, we are making alternative arrangements for participants scheduled to travel to countries designated by the CDC as level 3 risk category.
“We understand that news like this causes concern. The safety and health of our participants is our top priority, so we are working with our funders and monitoring the advisories of relevant health agencies,” said American Councils President and CEO, Dr. David P. Patton. “This is not the first time we have had to make substantial adjustments to programs due to environmental factors, and our program staff are very adept at modifying programs while maintaining the high quality we are known for.”
Staff members from every affected program are communicating directly with participants. We remain vigilant as the health situation evolves. American Councils will also coordinate with any participants outside of the immediately impacted areas who may elect to end their program early due to larger concerns about international travel or exposure.
As always, we encourage all participants to follow the CDC’s latest recommendations and travel warnings. For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19, visit the CDC website.
For more information or support, please call +1 202.833.7522 or email us at connect@americancouncils.org.