Potential Impacts of COVID-19 on Student Travel Abroad and Student Safety Being Closely Monitored

  • Education and Early Childhood Development

March 6, 2020

The following is a statement from the Honourable Brian Warr, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development:


During the spring, many students travel abroad through school organized tours. Their safety is always paramount and in light of COVID-19, additional consideration is being given to upcoming travel plans.

We continue to closely monitor this emerging, rapidly evolving situation, along with the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District (NLESD). There is no international travel planned for students with Conseil scolaire francophone provincial de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador.

The NLESD has taken steps to cancel two tours planned for Northern Italy based on information and a recommendation from the Public Health Agency of Canada which has listed the region as a risk level 3 (Avoid non-essential travel).

We are having ongoing discussions with the English school district regarding all planned student travel and working closely with public health officials in our province and the Chief Medical Officer of Health, to seek their advice. The English school district is also in close consultation with the companies that provide tours, keeping a close eye to high risk areas.

We will continue to monitor and assess the evolving situation and assess each planned tour in light of emerging information.

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Media contact
Tina Coffey
Education and Early Childhood Development
709-729-1906, 687-9903
tcoffey@gov.nl.ca

2020 03 06 4:10 pm