As a former international student, even regular breaks when school would close the dorms were tough. Winter/Spring break especially. Back then there was no AirBnb and no one would do short term rentals. I do not envy those students with nowhere to go. Plane tickets while cheap-ish due to the outbreak may still be out of the reach of college students.
There wasn't an international dorm at your University? My University had a dorm for international / special circumstances kids that never closed over breaks. I assumed that was normal.
