OT: TRAVEL TO ITALY

[Ingomardawg]

My wife and I are slated to travel to southern Italy in late April to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. The trip is already fully paid.

Travel to Italy has been raised to a level 4 alert (do not travel), but most of the virus victims are in northern Italy. There are no reported cases in the south except one in Sicily.

My travel company has cancelled trips in our time window to the north - but not the south. They are offering to travelers booked in the south in my time window a 75%refund or 100% credit if we reschedule within 18 months.

My dilemma is whether to wait it out and see if I can get a full refund if the virus spreads to the south, or take one of their current offers.

And, yes, we are elderly (78 and 70) and don't need to catch the virus.

Most of the pack readers are young enough to be our kids, so what would you advise your elderly parents?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

When do you have to decide?

I’d wait as long as possible before committing one way or the other. If nothing changes, I’d reschedule for next year. Also, do you have travel insurance that includes healthcare, including medical evacuation?

 

[missouridawg]

I’d wait as long as possible before committing one way or the other. If nothing changes, I’d reschedule for next year. Also, do you have travel insurance that includes healthcare, including medical evacuation?

Yep. Wait as long as possible. Reschedule for next year. Italy is a wonderful place too. Enjoy the trip.

 

[aTotal360]

I’ve done around 15 trips to Italy. PM the towns you plan on visiting and I’ll give you my 2 cents.

 

[johnson86-1]

My wife and I are slated to travel to southern Italy in late April to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. The trip is already fully paid.

Travel to Italy has been raised to a level 4 alert (do not travel), but most of the virus victims are in northern Italy. There are no reported cases in the south except one in Sicily.

My travel company has cancelled trips in our time window to the north - but not the south. They are offering to travelers booked in the south in my time window a 75%refund or 100% credit if we reschedule within 18 months.

My dilemma is whether to wait it out and see if I can get a full refund if the virus spreads to the south, or take one of their current offers.

And, yes, we are elderly (78 and 70) and don't need to catch the virus.

Most of the pack readers are young enough to be our kids, so what would you advise your elderly parents?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Wait as long as you can, but I would not be particularly concerned about rescheduling.

It seems extremely likely that the virus will be endemic at this point and we are just going to have seasonal outbreaks. I would guess early next summer you will be at no more risk in Italy than you would be in the US. I would say go ahead and schedule for late this summer, but with it being a new virus, it may go strong into summer this year.

 

[tbaydog]

Why take the risk, stay home. Pretty much a " no brainer" at our age.

 

[Ingomardawg]

Yes, we have insurance. I lean towards waiting as long as possible and letting either the travel company or airline make the decision for me.

 

[The Fatboy]

Expect the virus to return each winter. It's not going to disappear ever. They will developers a vaccine in another 12 to 18 months. I'm not sure if that helps you make a decision but it is important to note.

Like someone said above, it will come back each winter so maybe reschedule it for summer

 

[tbaydog]

If you go, learn this.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1233785527788285953

 

[TheStateUofMS]

Re-book within 18months. This is a no brainer.

 

[johnson86-1]

Why take the risk, stay home. Pretty much a " no brainer" at our age.

Sure, no brainer. Got all the time in the world as a 78 male to take a cross-atlantic trip to Italy with your 70 year old wife. Just stay at home for a few years; it's not like you're facing the risk of flu, pneumonia, heart attack, stroke, cancer, etc. Just hunker down and a better time will show up sometime in the next decade.

 

[Raiderdawg.sixpack]

The CDC says don’t travel to Italy on non-essential travel.

At your age, you are at a higher risk.

We don’t know what the behavior of the virus will be short-term or long term.

Contrary to news, the models of how the virus will spread short term or long term. It’s too new, so we really don’t know if it will go seasonal, basically plays itself out eventually or appear in sporadic cluster from now on.

I would follow the CDC’a recommendation. It’s not worth it at this point.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

VP Mike Pence is speaking to you. (now)

On TV, Italy is getting much attention.

 

[baddawggy]

On TV, Italy is getting much attention.

I work for the government. Been hearing rumors this will go pandemic if the hot weather coming doesn't neutralize it in the next few months like it does the regular Flu virus. You won't have to worry about canceling your trip it will be done for you.

 

[Raiderdawg.sixpack]

I work for the government. Been hearing rumors this will go pandemic if the hot weather coming doesn't neutralize it in the next few months like it does the regular Flu virus. You won't have to worry about canceling your trip it will be done for you.

That’s the issue with coronaviruses vs influenza - we don’t know if the transmission rate will be influenced the same way. SARS-COV1 started in November 2002 and ended in June 2003 Covid-19, is caused by SARS-Cov2 & appeared in early December (that we know). So hopefully they behave the same.

We do know Coronavirus is stable on fomites anywhere from 5 - 28 days depending on temperature and relative humidity. Which is why people should STOP BUYING MASKS. They may help with direct infectious aerosols, but they don’t really help if not properly fit, most people don’t take them off correctly & it’s more likely you pick it up from a doorknob on your hands than airborne for most people. We already are seeing shortages in major labs.

That’s why I would recommend not going to Italy anytime soon, especially if you are in a high risk category. Some asymptomatic person travels, sheds and touches something that doesn’t get disinfected. Just too risky. Need to give it some time as SARS2 seems more transmissible, but less lethal than SARS. So not sure how if their “season” will be similar.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I think it's been present in this country much longer than first thought.

 

[Joe Schmedlap]

Are you an anti-fomite?

That’s the issue with coronaviruses vs influenza - we don’t know if the transmission rate will be influenced the same way. SARS-COV1 started in November 2002 and ended in June 2003 Covid-19, is caused by SARS-Cov2 & appeared in early December (that we know). So hopefully they behave the same.

We do know Coronavirus is stable on fomites anywhere from 5 - 28 days depending on temperature and relative humidity. Which is why people should STOP BUYING MASKS. They may help with direct infectious aerosols, but they don’t really help if not properly fit, most people don’t take them off correctly & it’s more likely you pick it up from a doorknob on your hands than airborne for most people. We already are seeing shortages in major labs.

That’s why I would recommend not going to Italy anytime soon, especially if you are in a high risk category. Some asymptomatic person travels, sheds and touches something that doesn’t get disinfected. Just too risky. Need to give it some time as SARS2 seems more transmissible, but less lethal than SARS. So not sure how if their “season” will be similar.

 

[SirBarksalot]

Are you an anti-fomite?

I’m an Anti-dentite.

my biggest fear of going to Italy, would be being quarantined for 2 weeks when I returned...or, worse, getting sick while there and being quarantined in a healthcare system completely foreign to me and not knowing the language etc.

 

[The Peeper]

I have relatives that were to have left last week. They talked to a physician friend in Italy and were told that thermal imaging is being used in the airports. Anyone seen in the imaging showing up "hot" will be automatically quarantined for 21 days, no exceptions, along w/ everyone else on their flight. I don't know about yall but I wouldn't want to be cooped up in a foreign country with foreign language speaking strangers for 21 days waiting to see if I'm going to get a potentially fatal virus.

 

[HotMop]

See what kind of discount you can get.

 

[ezsoil]

I would suggest waiting till the warmer months....as with most viruses...they don't do as well in the warmer months ...that being said Italy in August is nothing short of miserable heat wise.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

National Quarantine in Italy now: Link.

 

[o_Native Son]

I'm leading 18 high school students to Italy and Greece on a two-week trip in June. Looks like we will get two more weeks to decide, but administration is leaning towards pushing it to next year (all money rolls over, just will have to cover any differences in cost of travel then vs. now). Virtually all schools with spring break travel trips to Italy have already cancelled or postponed or tweaked (e.g., switching part of trip from Italy to Germany) their trips. Some summer travel trips have been cancelled already by some schools, but our travel agency has given us extended time to decide.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

Have you considered Isaquena county? I know a guy that for $10 will load y'all up in his John boat with 5hp trolling motor and take you up and down the local creeks. Make you swear you were in Venice. An extra $4 and he'll throw in some leftover Totino's pizza from his lunch earlier to complete the Italian feel.