CARBONDALE, ILL. (WSIL) -- Students attending Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, many graduating this weekend, weigh travel abroad as places like India endure a COVID-19 crisis.
Ramesh Neupane, Associate Director of the Study Abroad Program at SIU's Center for International Education calls his family in neighboring Nepal frequently.
"I usually try to contact them two or three times a day," Neupane said. "We are really worried about them because we don't know what is going to happen next."
Neupane has lost family friends to the disease and his uncle recovered after a hospital stay.
"I try to get the news from my family members," Neupane said.
India could see more than 403,000 Covid-19 total deaths and nearly 50 million total cases by June 11 this year, according to a projection model from the Indian Institute of Science.
Multiple states in India are expected to go into complete lockdown in the coming days as a second wave of infections continues to paralyze the world's second-most populous country.
Neupane says, so far, students in his program at Carbondale have opted to forgo summer travel plans but it could change after the graduation changes their focus.
"It is challenging right now with the embassy closures and limited visa interviews. It is definitely going to be challenging for us in the upcoming fall semester," Neupane said.
SIU has students from 100 countries, many from the India region, but the total number is down since the pandemic began last year.
SIU International students from the region
Nepal: 72
India: 92
Bangladesh: 29
Sri Lanka: 23
If students chose to leave anyway Neupane says they'll work with them to get a travel signature to travel abroad even if it is a country with high rates of COVID.
"We want them to meeting with their travel advisor and the SIU health center," Neupane said.
When they return students may have to endure a 7 day quarantine with a COVID test before returning to SIU classes.
"Right now we are advising them not to travel," Neupane said.
Neupane expects next week students will start to contact his office as they cement summer travel plans. He hopes students will weigh the risks.
"COVID 19 virus does not see age, ethnicity or does not see the country or the border," Neupane said. "It's on us. We have to make sure we're following the guidelines - wearing the masks and washing our hands. IT helps it from spreading around the world."
