Student from Houston self-quarantined after studying in Italy

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A student landed back in Houston Monday night after returning from being in Italy for two months. She’s now self-quarantined at home.

“We were actually in the middle of studying for midterms,” said Lizzy Lankford.

Last Friday, Lankford received news that her semester-long study abroad program in Italy was being cancelled.

The junior, who attends the University of Arkansas at Fayettville, was devastated.

“Couldn’t sleep. I was sick to my stomach. I was crying, it just all happened so fast,” said Lankford.

She got on a plane back to the U.S. and was told by her university that she’d need to quarantine herself at home for 14 days.

“No one came up to me with a thermometer to take my temperature,” she said.

She said she didn’t expect for it to be so easy to get through customs at the Newark Liberty International Airport.

She said no one questioned if she was sick, despite the rising number of coronavirus cases in Italy.

“It was very concerning because a lot of people weren’t wearing face masks,” she said.

Lankford hopes screening standards change, but for now, she’s hoping she doesn’t get sick.