Coronavirus, COVID 19: Everything you need to know before you travel (or cancel your trip)

março 04, 2020 24 Comments

First of all, it should be said that whoever writes this article is not a doctor. He is just someone who loves to travel and, like so many people around the world, is concerned with the coronavirus or, as it was recently called, COVID-19.

It was at the beginning of the year 2020 that the first news of this coronavirus appeared, but the truth is that it seemed something so distant that, to us, it seemed something that would have no impact on our life and that would easily stop appearing in the news. We couldn't be more wrong. The truth is that the coronavirus has come to shake the whole world, in the face of fears of an epidemic that we are not sure what contours it will be able to achieve.

Of course, the first thing to think about is the safety and well-being of everyone, but the point is that many of us who love to travel already had travel plans and, as in our case, even scheduled trips.

Of course, many like us already had plans made, but it was thought that we did not have as a destination any country that was still reported as having a case. As the cases of people infected with the coronavirus spread throughout the world, it starts to be difficult to choose a destination country without confirmed cases and, soon, it may even be impossible.

Thus, we are faced with the real question: Should we or should we not travel at this time?

The truth is that, at this moment, there is so much information that it is difficult to make a conscious and realistic analysis, taking into account the situation. It is also necessary to take into account that, the scenarios change very quickly and, it is impossible to say if in 2, 3 months this situation will be almost completely overcome or, if the worst of the scenarios is confirmed and we will all have to stay at home.

The truth is that, taking into account the current scenario and, in our specific case, as there are still a few months to go before our trip, the truth is that we keep our plans, but this is our decision, which is not necessarily the decision correct, because this is something that each of us will have to take individually.

What is the coronavirus, Covid-19?

According to the Portuguese SNS (you can consult the site here), COVID-19 is the official name, assigned by the World Health Organization (click here to access https: / /www.who.int/), to the disease caused by a new coronavirus (SARS-COV-2), which can cause severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia. This virus was first identified in humans, in late 2019, in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Hubei province, and cases have been confirmed in other countries.

What is a coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause infections in people. Typically, these infections are associated with the respiratory system and may be similar to the common flu or progress to a more serious illness, such as pneumonia.

But the point is that, contrary to the alarmism that many news have transmitted, the mortality rate of this virus is not very different from any flu that exists every year, and the truth is that none of us has stopped traveling because of the flu. What has been verified is that the majority of deaths have occurred in older people or people with debilitating health problems.

We strongly advise you to watch this World Health Organization video, to get more information from a safe source.

Should I travel or cancel my trip due to the coronavirus?

We would love to give a clear answer to this situation and, far from being doctors, and even doctors will certainly have many difficulties in responding to this situation. Especially because your decision must depend on several factors, one of which is your country of destination.

Should I travel to countries with a high number of coronavirus cases?

Although there is not yet an effective and widespread ban for all countries, what we advise is to check your government's directions for the destination you want to go to. Of course, it is also important to use common sense here and, in certain countries where infections are very high, some precautions may be advised here, and only in cases of greater need, should one travel. As of March 2020, the countries with the most cases are China, South Korea, Iran, and Italy.

In order to keep abreast and duly informed, we advise you to be careful with what you read and find on the net, as a lot of information, is not reliable. The best place to find out is the World Health Organization website and, if your destination is one of the hardest hit, be sure of what you will do in your life your dream trip to one of these destinations but, for now, it may be a good idea to wait a while.

Should I cancel the trip to countries with a high number of coronavirus cases?

The same applies to that mentioned in the previous paragraph, it may be a good idea to consider postponing your trip for the next few days. To achieve this, we advise you to contact your travel agency directly.

To date, there is no obligation to return the money to the traveler but, negotiating with the agency or company, it may be possible to partially or even fully refund the money, so what we advise you to do is contact your agent right away. There may be cases where, instead of returning the money, you can change the destination, which may be a good hypothesis to consider.

Can my flight be canceled?

Something that is already happening in some cases and, which may tend to increase, is the cancellation of many flights to destinations most affected by the disease. If this is the case, try to contact your airline as soon as possible to find out about this and, of course, to seek a refund of your money.

However, cancellations for certain travel destinations are only temporary and limited in time, so the destination may be available again at the time of your trip. Anyway, you already know, the best is to contact your travel agency.

Are there closed borders because of the Coronavirus?

No. There are only a few specific cases where some areas are isolated due to the high incidence of cases, but there are still no canceled borders. The only changes you may encounter, whether crossing physical borders or airports, are greater health controls, especially when you are moving from places where the number of contaminated people are high.

Should I avoid cruising now?

Although we are not easily impressed, we always recommend common sense and the truth is that traveling in a closed space for several days with thousands of people can be a scenario that should be avoided. There are several agencies that have canceled their cruises, so if you have a ticket scheduled, check with your agency if the trip is going to take place and the conditions for returning the money.

Can tourist attractions be closed?

Yes, this case can happen. It does not mean that they will be, nor can we say which they will be. The truth is that places where many people can be gathered, they can be closed in case it is necessary to prevent the spread of the virus. A recent case was the closure of the Louvre, so this can happen in several places.

Will the coronavirus disappear in the summer?

It is impossible to say this year. The truth is that some viruses, such as the flu, have greater difficulties in surviving in the heat and, coupled with the fact that in summer there is a greater tendency for people to be in open spaces, instead of what occurs in winter, which is confined more to closed spaces where the virus is easier to spread, it causes the incidence of flu to be very low in the heat of summer. However, this is a new virus, there is a need to learn a lot about it and, say with certainty that the virus will disappear or be very rare in the summer is still very difficult to say.

Conclusion

It was never our intention, with this post, to say whether or not to make your vacation trip. What we really want to recommend is common sense. If, on the one hand, we know that, at this moment, there are no reasons for excessive alarms, the truth is that this is a situation to take into account when preparing your holidays.

What we really recommend is that you try to avoid the places of greatest contagion, since at the moment there will be some areas in China, Italy, South Korea and Iran.

How to prevent

However, if you decide to travel, or have already purchased your trip, do not forget about basic health care, especially for those traveling with children:

- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Often we do not wash our hands well, it is advisable to do it carefully and to help and teach children to wash them well. Contrary to what you might think, the masks are of little use and, they work more for those who may be carrying the virus not to transmit to people around them. Watch this video that demonstrates the correct way to wash your hands.

- When you are unable to wash your hands, use a disinfectant, preferably alcohol-based.

- Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose with your hands when your hands are not washed;

- Avoid close contact with sick people;

- Cover your mouth and nose when we cough, preferably with a disposable tissue and immediately throw it in the trash.

- Study your travel destinations, try to keep contact details of your country's embassies, as well as contact numbers for the health systems of the destination countries.

- Make good travel insurance, trying to question what is protected and, if your destinations are contemplated in the destination. Ask as many questions as possible to be sure of what you are getting.

- The traveler’s consultation is an important thing to do, especially at this time, so no hesitation.

- Common sense. This is the real strategy, to always think about what will be best for us without, and however, being caught up in hysterics. Try to use all possible precautions, always inform yourself about your destination, adopt the safety measures recommended by the competent authorities, stay well informed through reliable sources and, have fun, the world is not ending.

We really hope that our post helps you to take the decision to travel or to stay at home. We would also like to invite you to leave your opinion and questions and, in case you travel recently, let us know about your experience using our comments box. Thanks for your visit to our Non Stop Family Travel Blog, come back often and, if you liked our article, don't forget to share it with your friends.