In addition to the choir program canceling their trip to perform in Ireland during spring break, other members of the BVNW population weigh in on how the coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted their vacation plans. 

Despite not being a part of the choir, junior Jane Winkler was also planning on going to Ireland during spring break to watch her older brother perform with the University of Missouri marching band in a St. Patrick’s Day parade. 

Given President Donald Trump’s European travel ban announced March 11, this is no longer plausible.   

“My family decided to cancel this trip because the President put a travel ban on Europe effective Friday,” Winkler said. “This means that we could leave for Ireland, but we likely could not get back.” 

Although Winkler was looking forward to going to Ireland and visiting her choir friends as well as a distant relative, she said she understands why there are precautions in place. 

“I think that precautions are necessary because the world is so globally connected through travel, which means that it is very easy for the virus to spread quickly,” Winkler said.  “For that reason, I think it is dangerous.”

As for Winkler’s main concern, she said it is that people will freak out over the virus and become unreasonable. 

“My biggest concern is that people will overreact to the threat of the virus,” Winkler said. “As long as people are reasonable, we will be OK.” 

Despite Winkler saying that the restrictions are important, she is not worried about contracting the virus. 

“I am not personally scared of contracting or dying from coronavirus because the odds of that are extremely low,” Winkler said. 

Sophomore Nick Wood said he does not believe that the virus affects kids as much as it does the elderly and those with weak immune systems. 

Wood, who was planning on going to Raleigh, N.C. to tour colleges, said that his plans changing had more to do with other factors than his own family’s concerns about the virus. 

“My family canceled because the colleges [I was going to tour] canceled all official tours and any activity on campuses,” Wood said. 

Wood then went on to say the US needs to take control of this issue, especially due to its impact on daily life and the economy. 

Wood said his biggest concern about the virus is that the US will be unable to produce a vaccine and cure citizens. 

Overall, Wood said he is upset about the situation given that he was looking forward to touring potential colleges as well as seeing a new part of the country. 

“I am very sad about this because I was looking forward to getting out of Kansas and seeing a different part of the country,” Wood said. “Now I have to change all my plans.”