Coronavirus is having a negative effect on travel. Everyone traveling in the immediate future must be very concerned about the Coronavirus (formally known as COVID-19). With this in mind, I wish to inform every traveler that there is no significant reason to cancel. Unless you are traveling to a Coronavirus hot spot area. So far, the places with US travel restrictions are China, South Korea, Iran and Italy.
Should persons travel?
I will offer some guidance as a travel advisor. However, the decision to travel should be an individual decision. With this in mind, you should take the following into consideration before deciding to go on vacation.
- Where are you going? Is the destination a coronavirus hot spot? As a matter of fact, there are several destinations that are coronavirus free. Therefore, it is safe to travel to those destinations. Furthermore, several destinations are open for travel.
- Purchase travel insurance. Travel insurance will cover the portion of your trip that is not being reimbursed. However, insurance varies from vendor to vendor. Most of all, policies are different and do not cover everything. The best and most expensive insurance is “Cancel for any reason.” Read the details of the policy to make sure that coronavirus is covered.
- Are you at risk of the coronavirus? The elderly and persons with pre-existing medical conditions are more at risk to catching the virus. To put it bluntly, I would not travel if you fall in that group.
- Verify all information you hear. Therefore, getting information from reliable sources is very important. The Center for Disease Control provides progress reports on the coronavirus. The US State Department has a list of countries that are on the “Do Not Travel List.” Finally, the governments and official tourism bureaus will also provide valuable information about your intended destination. They will give up to date warnings about the spread of the virus in their countries.
Coronavirus and Tropical destination
I am reaching out to all my clients that are traveling. They are asked to contact me about their travel plans. I am always available to answer questions and talk through their concerns. Persons with any special health, immune circumstances or is pregnant should be concerned. They are at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus. Therefore, they should avoid travel as a precaution.
No one has cancelled with my agency. It is important to note that new bookings are down. In fact, it appears that customers are adopting a wait and see policy before committing to a new vacation.
The flu symptoms
There is no vaccine for the coronavirus. Therefore, common sense should prevail. Doing some basic things will lessen the spread of the virus.
. You should wash your hands regularly.
. Avoid touching your face.
. Stay away from sick people.
. Stay home if you are sick.
. Covering your cough.
. Wiping down surfaces with Lysol or bleach.
Coronavirus is a part of a large group of viruses. In fact, some common colds are considered a type of coronavirus. However, the coronavirus known as COVID-19 is new. You can catch the virus from other people because it is like a cold. Also, the symptoms are very similar to the cold. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) identify the following as symptoms of the cold:
. Stuffy or running nose
. Sneezing
. Coughing
. Sore throat
. Watery eyes
. Post-nasal drips
. Fever (most people don’t get the fever)
The coronavirus symtoms
Whereas, a severe case of coronavirus would have more serious symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) list the symptoms of the Coronavirus. They are in addition to the flu indicators:
. Fever
. Pneumonia
. Shortness of breath
. Severe acute respiratory symptoms
. Cough
. Kidney failure
Persons with symptoms that appear to be coronavirus should seek immediate help by calling their doctor. It is not recommended to go to an emergency room. This will avoid contaminating the emergency room.
Coronavirus and the travel industry
The travel industry is being negatively impacted by the present situation. As a matter of fact, Airline travel is down. Some airlines are grounding aircrafts and reducing seats. I am not sure of the impact on the cruise industry. No figures are available for the cruise industry since the coronavirus. Although, the cruise lines are not cancelling cruises to areas like the Caribbean and Alaska. There is a noticeable change in policy. For instance, Royal Caribbean International has adopted a new cancellation policy. With effect from March 06, 2020, Royal Caribbean is advising all its customers to “Cruise with Confidence.” Measures are being outlined to reassure travelers that the cruise line is doing everything to make cruising as safe as possible. In addition, customers who wish to cancel will be provided with a credit for a future cruise.
Tropical destination vacations can be contacted for more information on the coronavirus. We also have other travel tips that would be help during your next vacations.