richarddd

Is Europe (I'm particularly interested in France) less safe than the US? The US doesn't seem well prepared or organized at the moment.

ngfan

Well, great, now I have to cancel my South Tyrol vacation next month. As it being evaluated as a risk area by the German government since last night, the trip would result in a mandatory 14 day quarantine on return for myself (imposed by my employer) and the same for my little girl by government decision. Developing plan B right now...

THR

Have three weeks booked in June (leaving late May) in Croatia predominately, although a few days in London.

We are transiting via Tokyo (one night stopvover), and then into Vienna.

Very much just have to wait and see what happens ... I'm most worried about the Tokyo leg.

747FC

Unfortunately, the situation has changed, with the first case reported. Undoubtedly, there will be many more:

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/...sh-green-says/

smithsonga

Northern Italy is a hot spot. But entire Italy is listed as risk 3, yes? Would a flight home from Rome cause some type of USA quarantine? I’ve read customs are still not screening passengers.
this is my only risk:concern to spend a couple last minute weeks in Tuscany.

WestCoastPDX

Off to Sydney tomorrow.
Then to Brunei, then Tokyo.

Peru/Bolivia two weeks later.

Then back to Japan and into Russia 10 days later.

June is island hoping in the South Pacific.

July moving to Europe to explore for 6 months.

—
I haven’t seen a single fact that gives me any reason to consider changing any plans.

(I have seen plenty of ridiculous opinions from people who apparently watch the news 24/7.)

You know what is going to *actually* hurt people?
The recession that happens because everyone stops Spending money and not investing.

*That* is going to cause real suffering to millions for years :/

Goodmorning2U

I haven’t seen rates dropping. Perhaps Four Seasons Hong Kong is slightly less expensive than normal at $380 for an entry level room. Rates at the Four Seasons Milan and Florence are about the same as last year.

I am not suggesting flying to a hot spot but I am curious if rates are going to start dropping.

PsiFighter37

FWIW, the low/mid-brand hotels near me that can charge a huge premium for being centrally located in NYC (I live in Chelsea) are showing sub-$200/night prices ATM. I have never seen prices that low in recent years.

36902BRF

I am going to disagree with you here in part. I don't disagree with your general supposition but when I am at home in the US due to the fact I can work from home full-time, I can go days, maybe a week or more without any physical interaction with another human if I choose. If I travel I have to interact with a lot of other humans (I mean what is the point of travelling if I am just going to hole up in an AirBnB/hotel). So to me even if the US is on average more risky than say Taiwan, I am still better able to isolate myself in the US. All that said I still plan on traveling in the near future but I do see it as an increased risk of exposure because I will not be practicing nearly as much social distancing as I do at home. As with everything YMMV.

submonte

The EU and its countries were not prepared very well. Hopefully we learn from it and set up pandemic emergency stocks of Personal protective materials for the next crisis. See, the supply chain for these products has been cut off with beginning of Chinese New Year end of Jan. and will need months to get back to normal (Hubei/China). The European production capacities are low or not existent in comparison. Surgical and respirator masks are practically sold out. In populistic reactions Germany, France, Italy, Poland and other countries issued decrees to ban export of such products (masks, gloves, gowns and others) to abroad despite EU internal market regulations (free trade) which makes it even worse as cutting channels of supply and exchange of goods. It is a disaster, our German government and the EU totally fails and this at least cannot happen in the US.

The national health care systems get to its limits in the most affected regions like Northern Italy (230 deaths). They just announced to engage 20,000 doctors and nurses partly back from retirement for those regions. Stay out of Northern Italy, you may stuck if you do not get infected, or the Austrian police will quarantine you if you want to leave by car or train at Brennero state border if you got temperature for any reason. In Germany the region of NRW (most populated state in Germany) is most affected and our Federal Minister of Health recommended yesterday to avoid any unnessesary travel there.

In France the no. of infections has jumped to 949. I do not know if they are less prepared than the US or if it is less safe there. Their health care system especially in the countryside is weak as they say themselves.

If you can stay at home stay at home in these days. The minimum risk is that you will be quarantined during travel, so better be quarantined where you live.

obscure2k

"Two resorts in the Maldives are on high alert after the South Asian island confirmed its first two cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, according to the country’s Health Protection Agency."
Source: Washington Post

doctoravios

Sure - if you are in the privileged position of being able to completely isolate yourself voluntarily then you could reduce your risk of exposure even in an area with high prevalence, but most people are not in this position and have no choice but to have some human interaction in their social and occupational functioning.

submonte

https://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Italien...e21626418.html

https://translate.google.com/transla...e21626418.html

Italy cordons off larger areas in the north of the country in the fight against the spread of the novel corona virus. This was announced by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, as the Ansa news agency reported. The Lombardy region and 14 provinces are affected by the measures. These are Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano Cusio Ossola, Vercelli, Padua, Treviso and Venice, said Conte. This means that entry and exit bans affect more than ten million people in the middle of the country.

submonte

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32155775-post58.html

summertime

I will not change any of my plans, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Japan all planed this year.