Dear international teaching staff and students,

Up to February 8, 2020, 33, 738 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia cases have been confirmed all over China. In Anhui, 733 cases have been confirmed, among which 31 cases are from Ma’anshan City.

While confronted with such seriousness ofthe virus, all Chinese people and Chinese governments are trying their best to fight against the spread of epidemic. At Anhui University of Technology, every staff is making the same efforts to prevent the virus from spreading to the campus. For more than two weeks, staff of School of International Education take their risks to travel for necessary medical face masks, sacrifice their time with their families for duty shifts day and night, and coordinate withrelated departments to provide necessary daily food stuff for our internationalstudents on the campus.

What we have done and what we are doing nowis to let you know that every staff of SIE, AHUT is standing with you during the hard times. We are ready to try every possible measure to protect you from being hurt. During this hard period, we are most happy to see that you are standing with us as well with your self-confidence, trust, understanding and cooperation. Even some of our students volunteer to help other students. The group of quarantined students has also demonstrated their great unselfishness and responsibility for others. This is what a family really means.

Up to now, the fighting comes to its critical moment. We need to take more serious attitudes and be have more appropriately against any risk approaching us. For those very few students who are not cooperating to obey rules and instructions, they will be regarded as big threats to the whole community and relevant measures will be taken by SIE. During this period, everyone’s full cooperation is making contributions to the war.

For teaching affairs, no classroom courses will be taught till the end of February. In order to guarantee university education quality, online teaching of relevant courses will be available. Detailed procedures will be informed by the office soon.

We strongly believe, with the support from governments and top leaders of the university, with the efforts made by everyone of us, we will be the final winner of this fighting!! Let’s join in hands together and unite as to be the Great Wall.

For the sake of your health, we would love to re-emphasize the following measures to keep you healthy:

1. Enhance the awareness of infection prevention and self-protection ability. Once have symptom of fever, dry cough, fatigue, chest tightness of unknown cause and other symptoms of acute respiratory tractinfection, you should immediately wear a mask and go to the nearest fever clinic for diagnosis, early treatment and report to the office.

2. Actively learn about the relevant knowledge about prevention of the novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia and other infectious diseases, be familiar with and practice the following health protection measures, and consciously guide people around to develop ascientific, civilized and healthy lifestyle:

(1) Stay away from the source of infection, try to avoid crowded places, stay in the dorm area and do not gather together for meals.

(2) Try to stay in places with good air ventilation and ventilate regularly your home and indoor workplaces.

(3) Take measures to protect yourself, pay attention to personal hygiene, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your bended elbow when coughing or sneezing, and wash your hands frequently.

(4) Enhance immunity, keep regular diet and rest. Do not touch oreat wild animals. Food (especially meat and eggs) should be cooked thoroughly before eating. Get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, and exercise.

(5) Learn to judge and select information. Please pay more attention to the infection information released by the national health commission, Anhui health commission, Maanshan release and other official platforms. Follow the guidelines and do not believe and disseminate false information and unconfirmed personal statements.

(6) Learn to deal with anxiety and fear. Although this is a novel virus, there is a certain degree of uncertainty, and many people will feel that the virus is "ubiquitous" and difficult to prevent, we must learn to think rationally, believe in doctors, believe in science, and believe that the Chinese government will be able to overcome this difficulty.

3. All students who have returned home are not allowed to return without notice from the office. The updated news will be released through official channels. Please keep in touch with you advisors and pay close attention to the school website, wechat public accounts, class wechat groups, QQ groups, etc.Please strictly abide by the rules of returning to school, do not return in advance!

Thank you all for your understanding and cooperation of the prevention and control work of the infection. Let’s join in hands together and unite as to be the never-falling Great Wall.

International Affairs Office

School of International Education

February 9, 2020