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A Brief Explanation about Coronavirus
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a virus that attacks the respiratory system. Coronavirus can cause disorders of the respiratory system, acute pneumonia, which eventually can lead to death. This virus is a new type of Coronavirus that is transmitted to humans. It can affect anyone, both infants, children, adults, the elderly, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
This virus infection is called COVID-19 and was first discovered in the city of Wuhan, China, at the end of December 2019. This virus spread quickly and has spread to other regions in China and to several other countries in the world, such as South Korea, Italy, Iran, and many more.
Coronavirus is a collection of viruses that can infect the respiratory system. In many cases, this virus only causes mild respiratory infections, such as flu. However, this virus can also cause severe respiratory infections, such as lung infections (pneumonia), Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The Global Impact of Coronavirus
It has spread across the globe after the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed the Coronavirus epidemic a public health emergency of international significance in January. The WHO boosted its global risk forecast and on 26 February, for the first time, reported more recent cases outside of China than within. When China rebounds, the global impact is expected to extend through the next quarter, and the possibility of a disease outbreak has replaced China’s ripple effects as the main downside risk to the global environment.
The epidemic has weighed on global capital markets and is anticipated to have a significant effect on industry and tourism, and could eventually contribute to a declining rate of trade of students around the globe, where this is partly affected by the dramatic action taken as countries across the world gradually restrict tourism.
For starters, in the U.S., the government has imposed stringent immigration controls in an attempt to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, briefly restricting access to foreign visitors who visited China within 14 days of their arrival in the U.S. A compulsory 14-day exclusion threatens U.S. residents who have traveled during the past two weeks to China’s Hubei Province and Iran. Moreover, by the end of April, several American airlines had also terminated flights between the US and China, along with route cuts to Japan and South Korea.
Hundreds of thousands of flights were suspended after the spread of the virus in January, according to data from the travel and analytics company Cirium. A variety of big Asian airlines are halting three to four months of flights to China, with European airlines also reporting adjustments. The bans have been spreading past China and are also hitting Iran, South Korea, Japan and Italy.
Countries across the world also introduce steps to prevent the transmission of Coronavirus, ranging from regional quarantines to school closures. For instance, the governments in Spain and France are urging residents to stay at their homes. The lockdown by France, declared Monday (16th), may be the biggest shutdown outside China.
Many nations have closed their borders, and all non-essential trips were shut down by the EU. El Salvador enforced a nationwide lockdown on its 6.4 million-strong population and restricted travelers from accessing the country, with no reported cases of the virus to date.
Although “lockdown” is not a formal terminology used by public-health authorities, it may apply to anything from compulsory regional quarantines to non-obligatory warnings for remaining at home, suspensions to some types of enterprise, or restrictions on activities and meetings.
Implementing the lockdown ultimately impacts the execution of scholarships and study programs abroad for foreign students from all around the globe.
Coronavirus Impacts for Study Abroad Students
Studying abroad is meant to be a life-changing, enlightening opportunity but the circumstance has developed into a crisis for hundreds of foreign students as the latest Coronavirus spreads all over the globe. Within the U.S. alone, several colleges such as Arizona State University, Elon University, Maryland University, and schools around Wisconsin have ended plans for traveling overseas within nations such as China, Japan, and South Korea. From Italy and China to a ship docked in Mauritius, East Africa, U.S. students and colleges are dealing with the potential impact of the latest Coronavirus, and what will come next remains almost as unpredictable as the virus itself spreads.
Nevertheless, a Chinese organization in the field of foreign education has uncovered numerous results on developments in the overseas study. Some of the other impacts of the virus outbreak can be seen through the result of survey held by BOSSA & COSSA, a China’s international education industry association, through the list below.
- Invariably, the crisis has led 40% – 60% of students to be delayed directly in college application, visa and entry and exit.
- As a result, 66% of foreign educational organizations expect a drop in this year’s students studying overseas.
- Nonetheless, 64% of students will not alter their initial intentions to study abroad and amid challenges, 71% will not adjust their choice.
In short, the overall rate of overseas enrollment will not change in the middle of the Coronavirus epidemic, based on this survey carried by BOSSA & COSSA. That does not, however, mean that the COVID-19 virus epidemic cannot impact foreign students ‘ plans to study abroad. When the epidemic spreads around the globe and incidents occur in more and more countries, more potential students prefer to postpone their bid to a later year, instead of attempting to locate another place to study in as shown by the result of a survey held by QS.
So, should universities look for alternatives for online learning because of Coronavirus? When questioned whether they would be interested in pursuing their degree online due to the danger of Coronavirus, 61% of prospective foreign students showed a degree of concern in learning online, whilst the remainder indicated that they would oppose the proposal.
Nevertheless, this means that universities should expand their online learning resources and alternate learning solutions because there is obviously enough demand and market opportunity to push online courses. To mitigate some concerns that potential foreign students may have, universities should consider giving both existing and potential students a variety of educational alternatives.
All in all, while the circumstance doesn’t look pretty good right now, we’d like to inspire you to hold your sights on the target and not give up on learning. You’ll only need to reconsider your plans for the next few months and at the same time trying your utmost to protect your wellbeing, and your preparations to study abroad won’t be poorly organized because of your inability to consider your own protection.
