Thinking about Florida for Spring Break? Think again. Universities across the state have already cancelled the upcoming festivities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the schools that are planning to adjust their school schedules are Florida International University, University of Miami, University of Florida, and Florida State University. Instead of Spring Break 2021, schools are thinking about alternative ways to include vacation time.
Schools decided to approach this in different ways. For example, UF decided to extend winter break by a week and remove a spring break. UM is doing the same. Winter holds uncertainty with a possibility of COVID-19 outbreaks coupled with a standard flu season.
FSU announced in an official statement an adjusted vacation calendar to prevent potential outbreaks that could occur from travel. FIU did not state why they are cancelling Spring Break, but will end their spring semester early regardless.
Spring Break 2020 brought on a lot of heated opinions and criticism towards participants. It led to an increase in COVID-19 cases among many young people. While it’s unfortunate that live events are on hold in 2021, lives could be saved with these measures.
Many students are facing a remote school year or one with restricted in-person classes due to COVID-19. It’s been a strange year for education as a whole, and even stranger without in-person events. While there are students that are unhappy with this adjusted vacation schedule, their universities ultimately decided they’d rather be safe than sorry.