Welcome to the Alliance for Global Education in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an!

You are about to embark on the experience of a lifetime - one of exploration and discovery, great learning, cultural immersion, and new friendships. The Alliance staff wants you to get the most out of your experience and we know that you have many questions. Please take the time to read all sections of the pre-departure website.  You can begin by clicking on the green buttons on the left side of this page.  If you have questions that are not addressed on our website, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email.

Message from the Director:

We would like you to be aware as you prepare for your upcoming trip that you are not necessarily going into an H1N1 ‘hotspot’ but rather that you are coming from one, and that you may be seen as a contaminator rather than someone at risk of contamination.  This is certainly not a position that we, coming from the U.S., are accustomed to, so please be sensitive to the concerns of your hosts, and keep this in mind as an opportunity to learn and experience being on the other side of a global pandemic.  It is possible that passengers on airplanes traveling to China from the U.S. who have high temperatures will be quarantined for up to 7 days. 

Of course, your health and safety are our foremost concern.  Our U.S. staff and Resident Directors in China are monitoring the situation daily through the State Department, CDC, and other local and international sources.  Please be assured that any signs of the virus would be treated with the utmost care, and that the medical facilities in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an offer high-quality care and are able to treat H1N1. 

Below is a list of questions you may have, and our best answers to them at this time, based on a recent conversation with the Medical Director and director of Global Health and Safety at HTH Worldwide, our international medical insurance and medevac provider.  

We will keep you posted with any developments as they occur.  In the meantime, please continue confidently with your academic and personal preparations for the upcoming semester knowing that you are in good hands!  All of us at the Alliance are keeping close tabs on this situation, and simply ask that you do your part to help minimize your potential exposure to this virus.  In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact Julia Levy or me directly should you have any questions or concerns.

Janice S. Levitt
Director

• Q:  Are there specific local hospitals/doctors upon whom we could depend for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment?

A: Yes.  We have identified hospitals where we can be confident that our students would receive first-rate care. In the event of a diagnosis, HTH Worldwide would also step in to help manage our students’ care, and would ensure that all appropriate measures are taken.

• Q: Should students try to bring their own dose of Tamiflu?

A: No. The WHO is asking people not to hoard Tamiflu if they are not diagnosed.  Plus, there seems to be emerging resistance to Tamiflu.  Ralenza may become the treatment drug of choice.

• Q:  Can HTH help get the drugs to our students if they fall sick and there is a shortage in China?

A: Yes, they can try, but it is also possible that if there is a shortage in China there will also be a shortage worldwide.

• Q:  When will the vaccine be available?

A:  The vaccine is available now in most places across the U.S., and we do encourage students to get the vaccine before they depart. If you're not able to get the H1N1 vaccine, we encourage students to get the seasonal flu vaccine, as there does appear to be some positive benefit associated with it.

• Q: What are our recommendations?

A: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. This means:

• Frequent hand-washing and use of antibacterial gel.
• Covering your mouth when you cough.
• Avoiding crowded and/or enclosed places.
• Wearing a mask – specifically an N95 surgical mask - if you are in a crowd, or while traveling.
• Pack an H1N1 prevention kit: disinfectant, mask, Tylenol, thermometer.
•  Get the seasonal flu vaccine.

top