An Update from Brightspark and WorldStrides' Health and Safety Team

Dear Traveler, As leaders of the Health and Safety Team at WorldStrides, the parent company to Brightspark, we wanted to provide you with important information about the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and outline the steps WorldStrides is taking to address traveler safety.

We appreciate the trust that you have placed in us by choosing WorldStrides for your upcoming trip. We want to assure you that we are parents and educators first and foremost, and we will not allow your group to travel if we don’t think it is safe to do so. The safety and security of our travelers is, and always will be, our highest priority!

WorldStrides is a global company with multiple partnerships and significant resources devoted to proactive planning for the safety of our travelers. We have successfully addressed similar health situations in the past, and our organization has an unparalleled safety record over more than 50 years due to the resources we devote to health and safety.

WorldStrides will continue to monitor and react to the situation around the world with support from our 24/7 team of risk management professionals, our security partners at WorldAware, and under the advice of WorldStrides’ Medical Director, Dr. Neal Sikka from George Washington University Department of Emergency Medicine. We will also be carefully considering real-time information from our local ground teams across the globe and guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Department of State, CDC and Government of Canada (GOC).

The GOC has advised that the immediate health risk to the general Canadian public is considered low at this time, and they are not advising against travel in your child’s destination.

Airports across the world have implemented enhanced health screenings for travelers, which your child may see when they travel. When preparing for your upcoming trip, WorldStrides’ Medical Director, Dr. Neal Sikka, advises that all travelers, regardless of the destination, should follow standard hygiene practices to stay healthy. These practices include washing hands frequently and carrying hand sanitizer, covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and avoiding contact with sick individuals. These tips will also help travelers protect themselves against the common cold and flu.

If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Brightspark’s Customer Support via email at emailus@brightsparktravel.ca or by phone at 1 800 267 6425. In the meantime, please know we are watching the situation carefully and will share additional information proactively as needed.

Sincerely,

Terri Morgoglione                                                               
Chief Experience, Health & Safety Officer

Robin Reliford
VP, Health & Safety