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Will coronavirus wreck your spring or summer travel plans? 5 things to know
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Will the ongoing global coronavirus outbreak upend your spring or summer vacation plans? It’s hard to say for certain, but here are some tips for travel planning.
Since the coronavirus outbreak began in China, there have been 82,550 confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide and 2,810 people have died, Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering reports.
The first known U.S. case of a person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 of unknown origin has been confirmed in Northern California, The Sacramento Bee reported.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Should I cancel my vacation plans?
Some travelers already are making alternate arrangements, according to Forbes.
“I had wanted to go to Verona, Italy, for a few days,” said Mary Ann Hanna, the publication reported. “We booked an apartment, a cooking class, a Romeo and Juliet tour and the trains. We canceled all of this yesterday in light of the outbreak in Italy as well as anticipated difficulties getting there.”
While it largely depends on where you’re planning to go, travelers need to look beyond China and Asia for potential problems.
“With the news that 12 towns in Italy are on lockdown and countries like Austria and Croatia announcing their first cases, it is readily apparent that the impact is likely to be felt on a more global scale than was perhaps previously envisaged,” said Nick Wyatt, head of travel and tourism research at GlobalData, reported Business Insider.
Depending on where you’re going, you may not be able to get there in the first place, according to the publication. Several airlines have suspended all flights to China, for example.
Experts suggest keeping an eye on U.S. State Department travel advisories along with Canadian government advisories, Forbes reported.
Carrie Pasquarello, CEO of Global Secure Resources, suggests also checking Medjet, a medical evacuation company, according to the publication. When it suspends coverage in a country, “it’s my tripwire,” she says.
“Find a very small number of sources of information that you trust, and you trust them both because they’re competent and because you think they’re working on your behalf,” advised Baruch Fischhoff, a psychologist and professor in the department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, CNN reported.
2. Are airline flights a risk?
Airlines have canceled more than 200,000 flights, mostly those entering or departing China, during the coronavirus outbreak, CNBC reports.
Scientists are still figuring out how coronavirus spreads from person to person, but it likely involves coughing or sneezing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
That’s a problem in the close confines of an airplane, although you’d still need to be within 6 to 10 feet of an infected person or touch a contaminated surface, National Geographic reports.
“When it comes to the global spread of outbreaks, air travel is usually how things kind of spread quickly from country to country,” said Dr. Yoko Furuya, associate professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, CNN reported.
The World Health Organization defines close contact on an airplane as being within two rows of an infected person.
If you do fly, window seats may be your best bet to avoid people moving around the plane, National Geographic suggests. Wash your hands after touching any surface and avoid touching your face.
But what if you decide not to take the chance?
Airline refund policies vary tremendously, but canceling simply out of fear of catching coronavirus isn’t likely to qualify — even with most travel insurance, Business Insider says.
“The only travel insurance that would be helpful in that scenario is when you pay extra for a ‘cancel for any reason’ plan,” said Ted Rossman, an industry analyst at CreditCards.com, the publication reported. “If you’re just canceling out of fear of traveling and getting sick, that’s not a good enough reason.”
But most U.S. airlines do allow ticket-holders to rebook or cancel flights to coronavirus-affected destinations without incurring additional fees, Fox News reports. And, of course, if the airline itself has canceled the flight you should be able to rebook or take a refund without any hassle.
3. Are amusement parks safe?
While Disney resorts in Hong Kong and Shanghai have closed amid the coronavirus outbreak, experts say people should feel “very comfortable” visiting amusement parks in the United States, Parenting reported.
“But that could quickly change,” said Dr. Aaron M. Milstone, a professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, according to the publication.
“I think traveling in the U.S. is fine right now,” said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, an infectious diseases specialist at Stanford Medicine, Parenting reported. But “the situation is extremely fluid.”
Experts say people should stay alert and watch for changes in the coronavirus situation in the U.S.
4. Are cruises dangerous?
Early in the coronavirus outbreak, passengers ended up quarantined aboard several cruise ships, some of which had to travel from port to port before being allowed to dock.
The CDC still advises travelers to avoid Asian cruises, CNBC reports. People traveling by ship can be subject to local quarantine procedures and risk having their trips cut short.
“In general for cruise ships, when you have everybody in close quarters illnesses can go through very quickly,” said Rachael Lee, assistant professor in the division of infectious disease at University of Alabama School of Medicine, according to the network.
Most cruise lines also are screening passengers for coronaviruses or other illnesses before boarding, CNBC reports.
But also keep in mind that the odds of a passenger with coronavirus but no symptoms being on any particular cruise ship are low, even in Asia, said Dr. John Lynch, who has specialties in infectious disease and travel medicine at University of Washington School of Medicine, CNN reported.
“I think there’s extremely low risk of getting novel coronavirus on a cruise ship,” said Lynch, according to the network.
5. How can I protect myself and my family from coronavirus?
While scientists are working on a COVID-19 vaccine, none currently exists, says the CDC.
The CDC advises you to avoid close contact with infected individuals, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, stay home when you are sick and cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Other tips include cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces with a regular household cleaning spray or wipe and washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Coronavirus symptoms can include fever, runny nose, cough and breathing trouble, which are not unlike flu symptoms. Most people, about 80 percent, suffer only a mild form, which could make the virus harder to contain, the New York Times reports.
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