ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell University has issued the following recommendations for members of the Cornell community planning travels to or from areas affected by the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic:

"The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued alerts regarding Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Since mid-March, Gannett: Cornell University Health Services has been working closely with Tompkins County and New York State Health Department officials to monitor information and recommendations related to SARS to protect individual and public health. To date, there have been no reported cases directly affecting anyone within the Cornell or Ithaca communities.

"The CDC has issued a travel advisory recommending that individuals who are planning nonessential or elective travel to mainland China, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Vietnam, or Singapore consider postponing their trips until further notice. This is a temporary recommendation that is reassessed daily as the outbreak evolves.

"Consistent with CDC and WHO recommendations, the university urges all members of the Cornell community to avoid nonessential travel to affected areas until these advisories are lifted. In order to determine if the area to which you are planning travel is affected by SARS, consult the CDC and WHO Web sites (addresses below).

"If you believe there is a compelling university-related reason or if you have important personal reasons for traveling to these areas, you may consult with Gannett's Travel Clinic about precautions to protect yourself. If you choose to travel to an area affected by SARS, be prepared for screening and/or other preventive measures upon your return to the United States. The CDC does not yet have screening requirements for travelers returning from affected areas, but most airlines do have screening and/or other procedures in place, so check with your airline about these requirements.

"At this point, there are no restrictions on people coming into the United States from affected areas. The CDC advises travelers entering the United States from Asia to seek health care immediately if they become ill with a fever and flu-like symptoms within 10 days of travel to affected areas. People coming to campus from an endemic area (including visitors to Cornell) are welcome to consult with a nurse at Gannett who can provide information to help monitor health throughout the two- to 10-day incubation period.

"If you have a fever or flu-like symptoms and you have traveled from an affected area in the past 10 days or have had direct, face-to-face, household contact with someone who has been diagnosed with SARS or has recently traveled to an affected area, contact your primary care provider or Gannett for immediate medical evaluation. To assure timely care and appropriate precautions, please call ahead to schedule an appointment. To schedule an appointment at Gannett or talk with a health care provider, call 255-5155. Whenever Gannett is closed, an on-call provider is available for phone consultation at 255-5155.

"Because SARS is an evolving illness, investigated with unprecedented resources by a host of governments, health organizations and research laboratories worldwide, new information is available on an almost daily basis. The following links will give direct access to the most up-to-date information.

o For current information and recommendations specific to Cornell, go to the Gannett Web site: http://www.gannett.cornell.edu .

o For information about the disease, affected locations, case reports, research and recommendations, go to the Web sites of the CDC http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/index.htm and WHO http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en .

o For information about U.S. Department of State travel advisories, go to the Bureau of Consular Affairs Web site: http://travel.state.gov .

o For information from the N.Y.S. Department of Health, go to: http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/sars/q_and_a.htm .

o For information on travel to Canada, consult the Web sites of the U.S. Department of State http://travel.state.gov and Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ ."