Coronavirus (Covid-19) Latest Update – 18/03/2020

**Gap Africa Projects have a policy in place for all groups departing up to and including 31st May 2020. If your departure falls within this time period, we will be in touch in the coming days to advise. If your departure date falls thereafter, we will be in touch in the coming weeks as we receive further updates from the FCO and Airline partners.**

Whilst there is concern regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Gap Africa Projects are following the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) advice regarding travel to foreign countries. Please see link below to their website for up to date information from the FCO: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public 

Gap Africa Projects has been closely monitoring developments in relation to the Covid-19 outbreak and advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. The latest update from the FCO as of yesterday, 16^th March, is advising against all but essential travel to the whole of South Africa. This is due to the South African authorities announcing measures restricting individuals entering South Africa if they have come from various countries affected by coronavirus (COVID-19), including the United Kingdom. These measures will come into effect as of 18^th March.

At this time, there has been no indication as to how long these restrictions will be in place but there is a high likelihood that it will, at least, effect trips departing during March and April. As we have a large number of groups travelling with us, we will be working through each group based on their planned departure date and putting measures in place for those imminently affected and appreciate your patience whilst we do this.

We please ask, if there is an intention to cancel your trip before you hear from us, that we are consulted first so that we can advise correctly of the next steps. In the first instance, if your trip is affected, we would like to explore the possibility of postponing the trip until a later date and carrying over your bookings. I have highlighted the possible scenarios below, should your group departure be affected:

Option 1

Postpone the trip until a later date, suited to the college timetable and carrying over all student bookings to this new departure date. We will amend flight bookings and re-issue all documents.

Option 2

Cancellation in full by Gap Africa Projects due to travel restrictions. We are waiting for updated policies from the airlines confirming which flight dates will be cancelled. Once we have this information, we will know for certain which groups are affected and start the process to attempt to recover amounts paid for airfares. This process, however, may take some time under the current circumstances.

Option 3

Cancellation in full by group/students if restrictions no longer apply. If a booking is cancelled for a departure not affected by any travel restrictions or cancelled flights, our standard booking terms and conditions.

How Can I Protect Myself?

Firstly we recommend that you follow all applicable advice provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Public Health England (PHE) and World Health Organisation on how to protect yourself against Covid-19 via the links provided above.

Further ways to help protect yourself:

• Wash hands regularly with soap and water or a disinfectant, especially after coughing and sneezing, before handling and consuming food.
• Use disposable tissues when coughing or sneezing and dispose of used tissues carefully and promptly.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell and avoid sharing personal items.
• Public Health England (PHE) recommends against using masks outside clinical settings. Should you decide to use a mask, you should ensure you continue to use all the recommended precautions in order to minimise the risk of transmission.
• Avoid unnecessary, unprotected contact with live animals and make sure you wash hands thoroughly after contact with an animal.

There is also general information for those preparing to travel abroad on the Travel Health Pro website, link below, they also provide a link for information on travel insurance which we strongly advise you to arrange immediately and to check the policy for cancellation and curtailment against FCO advice and travel restrictions: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/news/499/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-general-advice-for-travellers

Can I speak to a member of the GAP Africa Projects team to discuss any concerns?

If you would like to discuss any concerns specifically about your placement, please feel free to contact one of our team on: Email: info@gapafricaprojects.com Telephone: 0207 193 7819 or Contact Form Below