The governments of Valencia (Generalitat Valenciana) and of Spain have taken measures to restrain and prevent the evolving epidemic of COVID-19, which was declared a global pandemic by the WHO on 11 March.

Consequently, on Wednesday morning 11 March, the deans of the UV faculties imparting courses in Health Sciences and internships at hospitals and clinics related to the discipline have gathered to discuss the current situation and the prospective course of action.

The deans also voiced the information and considerations of students of their faculties and university centres.

Taking into account suggestions of health sciences faculties, the UV office of the principal kept in touch with the principals of the other public universities of the Valencian Community with the same study programmes and called for the need to suspend internship activities in all clinics of the Valencian Community.

This decision was based on “the need for dedication of the healthcare practitioners and the difficulties of internship reorganisation” in the current context, in addition to the need to protect the patients, medical professionals, and students.

The Valencian Regional Ministry for Public Health of the Valencian government (Generalitat Valenciana) reviewed this decision and, as of 11 March 2020, adopted a resolution to “suspend all internship activities at all clinics of the Valencian Community for students of both public and private universities pursuing degrees in health sciences and the related fields.”

This measure takes account of the current special situation and “shall be maintained until the COVID-19 health situation allows reconsidering the decision.”

Each faculty will inform the affected students on the resolution and the subsequent academic measures applied to every degree programme.