Epidemic might affect travel

A recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Europe is affecting many American students studying abroad in Great Britain and Ireland.\nOverseas Studies director Richard Stryker said that while no IU programs are being canceled because of the disease, students going to Great Britain or Ireland could be restricted from traveling in rural areas. \n"Things change day to day," Stryker said. "It will probably mean there will be a number of outside trips and independent student travel they won't be able to do."\nStudents already in Britain and Ireland have been warned of the dangers, Stryker said, and it is likely the situation will be different when summer programs begin in June and July.\nStryker said that because the disease affects primarily rural areas, schools with agricultural programs abroad are being hit hardest. He said Purdue University has canceled some of its programs in Britain and Ireland. \nLeading agriculture universities across the Midwest are isolating students who have been abroad until the risk of contamination is done and restricting access to school farms.\nSeventeen foreign students who came to the University of Minnesota began their training on farms this week after cooling their heels for eight days at a suburban St. Paul hotel.\n"We had the students wash their clothes so there would be no fear of that. The host farmers were going to purchase new work shoes for them. We asked them to blow their noses quite often. Evidently, the virus can reside in the respiratory system," said Steve Jones, director of the Minnesota Agricultural Student Trainee program. "By the end, they were a little bored, but they understood the potential threat"