To Whom It May Concern:

We are writing to request that the State Department and individual Fulbright Commissions of Europe and Eurasia consider the needs and situations of each individual student during this unprecedented situation. Even though the U.S. has declared a Level 4 travel warning, we believe the State Department should not issue a mandatory evacuation so that we grantees can reserve the right to return home to America or to shelter in place in our Fulbright host countries. 

Last week, we received a letter encouraging us to depart from our host countries in the EU as soon as possible and stating that if we did not leave now that there was no guarantee that the Fulbright would be able to assist us in leaving at a later date. While returning to the U.S. may be  the best option for some grantees, for others this may be potentially dangerous to their health, families, and/or financial security. This advice does not take into consideration that some grantees may: 

-- have preexisting conditions that make them vulnerable to Covid-19, making traveling a risk 
-- have nowhere to go but home to parents who are older adults and in some cases may have preexisting conditions that make them vulnerable to a severe case of Covid-19, should the grantee already have the virus or contract it while travelling internationally and bring it home 
-- no longer have access to health insurance in the U.S., especially considering that securing a job with benefits at this time is simply not feasible. At the very least, Fulbright should continue to sponsor our health care until our respective grant end dates either in the U.S. or abroad through the United States Department of State Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) Health Benefit Plan 

This is just a short list of issues and concerns being faced by Fulbright grantees at this time. From a public health perspective, the U.S. and countries in Europe are encouraging people to stop traveling to stop the transmission of the virus. As Fulbright Scholars, we feel we have a civic responsibility to the U.S. and our host countries to follow the guidelines put forth by the WHO and CDC, which means practicing social distancing and avoiding non-essential travel. Based on what is being reported in the media, there also seems to be a growing shortage of resources in the U.S. due to citizens stockpiling, so some Fulbright scholars may be arriving back in the U.S. and find themselves in a situation where they cannot secure the resources needed to sustain themselves in self-isolation for 14 days. 

We recognize that this is an unprecedented situation and that the State Department and Fulbright Commissions are trying to respond in the best way that they can. We also recognize that this request may require the cooperation of the State Department and our host institutions and countries should this situation not be resolved by the end of our grant periods. We are simply asking for your consideration and support as we make decisions that suit our individual needs and interests.