Covid-19 Planning and Program Updates

General Guidelines

Last updated: January 10, 2024

Introduction

As changes to national and local responses to COVID-19 occur, which may inform ASA’s COVID-19 protocol and preparedness planning, the information on these pages is subject to change. ASA will endeavor to provide participants with the latest requirements for travel to the study abroad destination, however participants are strongly encouraged to monitor current conditions and restrictions on their own.

Our protocols – as well as adjustments we’ve made to our programming and future updates we may make to our protocols – are designed to protect the health and safety of our valued students, staff, and local host communities to the best of our ability. Our protocols have been created in consultation with best practices and resources such as the U.S. State Department, CDC, OSAC, the Forum for on Education Abroad, and local and national government guidelines.

Masks

You may be required to wear a mask and maintain social distance. Please expect to be asked to practice good hand and respiratory hygiene. Participants are responsible for obtaining and using their own masks and hand sanitizer throughout the program when recommended or required by health officials, travel operators, governments, your host institution, host-managed housing/housing provider, and other authorities or entities. ASA advises you to bring enough masks and hand sanitizer to last your entire stay, as we cannot guarantee availability of specific items in country. Please bring enough supplies according to your own comfort level, bearing in mind that having and using them is your responsibility if it is recommended or required.

Flights & Travel

You may be required to wear a mask throughout your travels, including while in airports, on the airplane, and other modes of transportation.

Check with your airline(s) to inquire if a mask is required and what kind of mask is required for your flight. Some airlines are saying NO to certain types of masks (ex. bandanas, cloth masks) and will only allow N-95 masks.

You may be required to complete a health check or health questionnaire before being allowed to fly, or after arriving in country. You may need to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test and proof of COVID-19 vaccination before being allowed to fly or arrive in country. Some countries may require you to download an app where you complete a health form and upload your vaccination documentation in order to obtain a QR code, which is then required to enter.

If you test positive for COVID-19 in the weeks leading up to departure, if you have any symptoms at departure or while en route, or if you have had contact with a confirmed positive case during the weeks leading up to departure, you may not be allowed to travel per the policies of your airline and/or destination country. For these reasons, self-quarantine for 14 days before departure is recommendable.

Countries may close their borders or place restrictions on travel in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 should there be another outbreak. ASA reserves the right to discourage or restrict students’ personal travel outside the host city or country if we feel it is necessary to protect the health and safety of participants, staff, and the local host community. Participants will be notified via email of any restrictions on travel with as much advance notice as possible.

Cancellation Policy

Last updated: January 10, 2024

For information about our cancellation policy.

Insurance

Last updated: January 11, 2024

Medical Insurance During The Official Program Dates

All ASA students, except those from University of Minnesota Duluth and University of Delaware, are covered by ASA’s medical insurance policy during their official program dates.

COVID-19 is a covered sickness under ASA’s medical insurance policy with CISI. Testing for COVID-19 is covered by CISI when the test is prescribed by a doctor as a course of treatment. COVID-19 testing is also covered by CISI if local health officials declare that you (or your neighborhood/community/institution) have been exposed and should be tested.

Additional benefits provided under ASA’s medical insurance policy with CISI:

• Up to $250,000 coverage for Medical Expenses per Covered Accident or Sickness, with no deductible

• Charges due to a pre-existing condition are covered up to a maximum of $10,000

• Coverage of public or private providers

• Telemedicine doctor visits are available for non-emergency illnesses/injuries through the Doctor Please group of providers

• Emergency Medical Reunion, which provides a budget of up to $13,500 for a parent/guardian to visit their son/daughter if they are hospitalized for more than 24 consecutive hours or are the victim of a felonious assault

• Up to $100,000 coverage for Security Evacuations

• Up to $100,000 coverage for Emergency Medical Evacuation

• Up to $100,000 coverage for repatriation/return of mortal remains

• Trip Interruption benefit, which provides a budget of up to $2,500 for a plane ticket home in the event the insured person’s trip is interrupted due to the death or unforeseen serious illness/injury of an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent or sibling)

• Up to $2,000 coverage for Quarantine Benefit: CISI will pay expenses incurred up to $2,000 if the Insured Person is subject to a Quarantine for any contagious disease, infection or contamination that prevents travel while outside the United States/the Insured’s Home Country. Symptoms of the disease causing the Quarantine must first be manifested after the start of the Trip and the Quarantine must cause an interruption or delay in the Insured Person’s Trip for which suitable accommodations are not otherwise available. Benefits will end on the earlier of: (a) 14 days after the Quarantine is issued; or (b) the date the Quarantine expires. Covered expenses include the following: 1. Reasonable expenses incurred for lodging and meals; 2. Cost of a one-way economy airfare ticket to either the Insured Person’s Home Country or to re-join the Trip; and 3. Non-refundable travel arrangements. Quarantine is only covered if mandated by a recognized government authority, their authorized deputies, or medical examiners/doctor. 

Coverage is valid worldwide, except for in the United States. You may download a detailed Description of Coverage and other insurance documents at this link.

ASA recommends that participants remain enrolled in their U.S./home country medical insurance throughout their ASA program, in case they must return home early.

Recommended Medical Insurance Outside The Official Program Dates

Per the terms of ASA's medical insurance policy with CISI, coverage cannot be extended beyond the official ASA program dates. Participants may need to remain abroad beyond the ASA program end date for reasons beyond anyone’s control, such as mandatory quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 infection or exposure. For these and other circumstances that may prevent a participant from returning home by the ASA program end date, we strongly recommend that participants independently purchase their own international medical insurance coverage to last at least 3 weeks beyond their program end date and beginning on the day after their program end date. Coverage may be purchased through culturalinsurance.com, insuremytrip.com, travelguard.com, geo-blue.com, or a provider of international medical insurance of the student’s choosing. Note that coverage purchased independently, whether through CISI or another provider, may differ from ASA’s policy coverage and terms.

Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance

Because circumstances preventing you from going abroad or causing you to withdraw your participation could arise after unrecoverable program costs apply, we strongly advise you to protect yourself against financial losses by purchasing trip insurance. ASA is not responsible for losses should you not attend the program for any reason after unrecoverable program costs apply. You can find out about trip insurance options at this link.

Participant Expectations & Exposure Protocols

Last updated: January 10, 2024

ASA recommends that participants use caution when traveling internationally. ASA cannot assure that participants will not come into contact or contract COVID-19 while abroad. Participants who practice all recommended local and national disease-prevention protocols and practices still remain at risk of being exposed to or contracting illness. If ASA learns or is notified that a participant is intentionally endangering the wellbeing of other participants, the site director or the host community by disobeying the rules or protocols outlined here, outlined by the host university or assigned by the local health authorities, ASA reserves the right to take disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, as outlined in the Code of Conduct. Participant compliance with ASA policies, as well as the policies of their host institution, host-managed housing/housing provider, and national/local health authorities, is essential for protecting the health and safety of their ASA group, the local community, and assisting staff.

Pre-Departure Exposure/Positive Case Protocols

Participants must notify ASA immediately if, during the 21 days before their departure date or during the program:

• They test positive for COVID-19

• They have contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19

• They have been notified by a contact tracing team or board of health that they were exposed to COVID-19

• They visit or work in a facility that experiences an outbreak of COVID-19

• They have symptoms of COVID-19 (please see cdc.gov for symptoms list)

If during the 21 days leading up to departure participants fall into any of the 5 categories listed directly above, they may be required to delay their arrival to the Program site. If arrival to the program site is delayed, ASA will assist to the best of our ability to facilitate late arrival by working with the student and their host institution, but ASA is not responsible for losses or additional costs incurred as a result of delayed arrival to the program site.

In-Country Exposure/Positive Case Protocols

The following describes ASA protocols on site in case of COVID-19 exposure or infection during the program (i.e. next steps such as testing, quarantine/isolation, and contact tracing):

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have had contact with someone who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, you may be required to undergo COVID-19 testing.

• If you receive a positive COVID-19 test, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have had contact with someone who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, you may also be required to quarantine or isolate inside your program housing, or you may be required to isolate outside of your program housing for a specific number of days. Students are responsible for isolation housing costs. If meals are included with your program, meals will either be provided during quarantine/isolation or reimbursed after quarantine/isolation. If meals are not included with your program, you will be responsible for your own meals during quarantine/isolation. ASA can assist students in arranging for meal/grocery delivery if needed.

• Protocols recommended by medical professionals and/or health officials will be followed to determine when it is safe for students to return to their program housing. Host institution protocols and doctor- or authority-recommended protocols will be followed for determining when students can to return to campus, in-person classes, and in-person program excursions and activities.

• Students will be required to comply with testing, contact tracing, and quarantine/isolation protocols, as well as local and national guidelines for potential and confirmed COVID-19 infection.

• ASA will make every effort to protect the privacy and confidentiality of a participant diagnosed with COVID-19, but ASA may need to disclose the participant’s name to the host institution, home institution or other program participants who may have come into contact with the positive participant.

Additional Resources

Last updated: January 10, 2024

COVID-19 Vaccination rates of countries around the world (use the checkbox list at the left to compare countries)

OSAC (Overseas Security Advisory Council)

GHS Index (Global Health Security Index) Measures countries’ ability to respond to health crises, including hospital capacity

OxCGRT (Government Response Stringency Index from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker) Collects information on common policy responses that governments have taken to respond to the pandemic on 17 indicators such as school closures and travel restrictions. Track and compare policy responses around the world

IHME (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation) COVID-19 projections and updates

DOMO Coronavirus Tracker

Johns Hopkins University map

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) homepage

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

U.S. Department of State

World Health Organization

Safeture map Data about area lockdowns, quarantine measures, flight restrictions, school closures, and links to more information

IATA Travel Centre (International Air Transport Association) Enter details about an upcoming trip and it will tell you: 1) Whether passengers from your country of origin are allowed into your destination based on current border restrictions; 2) Whether there are any health requirements to enter, such as mandatory self-quarantine, declaration form filled out upon arrival, etc.

IATA (International Air Transport Association) Recommendations for flying during COVID-19

Our World in Data Select countries from a list and then view COVID-19 statistics and data from those countries. Ability to view COVID-19 data per capita

Information is Beautiful Charts and infographics, including an easy-to-read chart illustrating where COVID-19 is rising and falling by country

Time to Herd Estimates when countries will reach 70% of population vaccinated