Discover this guide Trip planning Safety information
Reopening schedules Cancellations and changes The future of travel If
you have upcoming travel, you might not be surprised to learn that the
spread of a new strain of coronavirus, COVID
If you have upcoming travel, you might not be
surprised to learn that the spread of a new strain of coronavirus, COVID-19,
may change your plans. As of June 28, the number of cases exceeded 9.8 million
globally, killing more than 495,000 people. The virus has halted thousands of
flights, drastically changed travel plans as borders closed, and put
entire cities in quarantine.
In mid-March, the US State Department issued a Level
4 Global Travel Advice, advising all US citizens to avoid international travel.
Those who are already abroad have been advised to return to the United States
or prepare to remain abroad indefinitely. Additionally, the CDC has recommended
all travelers, especially those with pre-existing health problems, to
avoid cruise ship travel — and nearly all lines have canceled sailings.
Non-essential domestic travel was strongly discouraged at this time as
well.
For a while, if you've booked flights - especially
to Europe or China - it's a good idea to reconsider your trip. Now, most
countries have enacted strict border protocols, including a European Union ban
on travelers from the US and other high-risk countries. But thanks to
these policies, social distancing, and widespread testing, many places are
beginning to look to the future, issuing detailed plans to safely reopen
borders and welcome visitors. While leisure travel may not return right
away, it's still the perfect time to plan ahead and start brainstorming for
that next trip.
From travel insurance to trip cancellation
policies and staying healthy on the road, this guide covers everything you need
to know about traveling in 2021.
What is covid-19?
In December 2019, humans in Wuhan, China, were
infected with a new strain of coronavirus called COVID-19 (also known as
2019-nCoV, Wuhan coronavirus, novel coronavirus, and 2019-nCoV).
In general terms, coronaviruses refer to a specific
family of viruses that affect humans, mammals, and birds, with interspecific
transmission occurring. While symptoms vary from one species to another, humans
usually develop respiratory illnesses from coronaviruses. Well-known
coronaviruses include SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome Outbreak), both of which have had major outbreaks in
the past 20 years. COVID-19 is a newly discovered coronavirus, with the first
human infection reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The World Health Organization
declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global health emergency on January 30, 2020,
and was later declared a global pandemic On March 11, 2020.
As the situation regarding COVID-19 is changing
rapidly, travelers are advised to check with the World Health
Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the latest
developments.
Corona virus spread
While COVID-19 is believed to have originated in
Wuhan, China, where the outbreak was first reported, it has infected people all
over the world. China has long been the epicenter of the virus, with more than
80,000 confirmed cases, as of March 16, when the total number of cases and
deaths outside China exceeded the total number of cases in China.
More than 200 countries and territories have at least
one diagnosed case of COVID-19. The United States and Brazil have the highest
number of cases, with 2.4 million and 1.2 million cases, respectively. As of
June 28, 495,760 people have died from COVID-19. The majority of deaths are in
the United States, where 124,811 people have died.
Corona virus symptoms
The three main symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough
and shortness of breath. Many symptoms are mild, and some affected patients may
not show any signs of illness. In severe cases, which usually occur in people
with weakened immune systems, such as the sick or the elderly, a respiratory
infection can lead to pneumonia, organ failure, or death.
COVID-19 appears to be transmitted from human to
human through close contact. The incubation period is believed to range from 2
to 14 days. There is currently no treatment, vaccine, or antiviral treatment.
Affected patients without primary complications are more likely to recover on
their own with rest and fluids.
If you develop signs of respiratory illness, stay home,
cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, wash your hands
frequently, and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Contact your healthcare
provider if you develop symptoms and have recently traveled to China.
Protect yourself from corona virus
While early guidance suggested that only those who
felt sick should wear masks or face coverings, the CDC issued sweeping guidance
on April 3 opposing the following: "The CDC recommends the wearing of
cloth face coverings in public places." Where other social distancing
measures (for example, groceries and pharmacies) are difficult to maintain,
especially in areas of community-based transmission.”
However, the most important step to prevent the
spread of COVID-19 is to wash your hands often with soap and water or use an
alcohol-based hand sanitizer. You should also avoid touching your face with
unwashed hands.
Explore your Destination
One of the exciting aspects of travel is the
chance to explore new destinations and enjoy new experiences. But the flip side
of that is that you have no way of knowing which local restaurant serves
amazing swordfish, whether the hotel you are considering has comfortable beds,
or if you're likely to find less-than-clean facilities. Travel review
sites can help fill in the gaps, giving you insight into feedback from other travelers
and even locals.
But how can you sort out the good advice from the
bad? You have to recognize the chance that reviews may be written by business
owners and are just commercials to try to get you in the door. On the other
hand, I often see reviews that appear to be written by either a competitor or
maybe a disgruntled former employee and show the business in a completely
unfair and undeserved light. How can you tell the difference?
One of the things you may consider is the number of
reviews available, but this is less help than you might imagine. It is a fairly
simple matter to create 3-5 fake reviews, especially if they all appear within
a fairly short time period. If the reviews are stacked on top of each other,
time-wise, and use similar language and express the same opinion, it might be
wise to take them with a grain of salt. On the other hand, if you find 50
reviews of a business, it is not likely that they are all from someone with
ulterior motives.
The language of the review can give clues as well.
If it reads like a commercial written by the owner ... it could be. I am always
especially doubtful when the review reads like a laundry list of services or
available options. Someone who actually stays at a hotel is much more likely to
comment that the linens smell fresh or the staff is rude than they are to give
a rundown of ALL of the hotel's amenities. I'm also suspicious when I hear
comments that read like a travel guide ... "as you enter beneath the
charming antique hand-carved doors, the cool refreshing scent of limes and the
melodic notes of classic harp greet your senses ... " Normal people don't write comments like this.
They COULD be bucking for a position as a travel writer, but more
likely, this is simply a commercial poorly disguised.
Language of the opposite sort is just as suspect. I
have read scathing reviews of a local restaurant, claiming that the
establishment reeked of ... shall we simply say "bathroom odors" and
charging them with all sorts of nasty uncleanliness. Anyone who read the review
might have vowed never to set foot in so much as the parking lot. To be honest,
the place is a bit aged and run down, but in that particular small town, ALL of
the restaurants are in that general condition, and the one I mentioned is clean
enough. The reviews were so critical, I suspect they were written by someone
who had been fired, someone who disliked the owner, or a competitor. The
anonymity of writing online reviews will lead many people to be less polite
than they would be if asked in person, but most won't cross a certain boundary
of ugliness.
Most of the time, a person's experience with a place
of business will be mixed. If they are a conscientious and honest reviewer, you
will usually get an overall impression that may range from 0-5 stars (or
whatever the range allowed by the rating site), but in the comments section,
you will usually read something like "the food was delicious, portions
were ok, cost was good, but the service was slow" or some other mix of
good and bad, with a few specific mentions.
Sometimes you run up against a site that has a
"star reviewer" ... either they comment on Everything to be found, or
some sites allow their reviews to be rated by other visitors and they emerge
over time as knowing what they are talking about. I will sometimes check out a
number of reviews by one person, if I have the time. If that person rates EVERY
establishment as 5-stars, then either they are inflating their reviews, or they
are not willing to comment on the worse experiences. Human nature is usually
quicker to complain than to praise though, so I tend to be suspicious of their
opinion if they have only good things to say.
If you want to be adventurous about it, you might
find it interesting to check out one business that is very highly rated by a
site, and another that receives consistently low marks, just to compare your
own impressions. If you want to try this, I'd recommend saving the "low
rating" for something that doesn't require much of a commitment, like a
quick diversion, or a visit to a shopping destination. No one wants to check
into a hotel for the night or be faced with dinner only to find that the
reviewers were all right and the place is horrible! But if that shopping mall
Does turn out to be overpriced and uninteresting, you have gained a little
confidence in your reviewers and it only cost you a little time to make that
discovery.
One more important point - travel review
sites are only as valuable as the opinions provided by travelers! Do
your part to help everyone else find the gems and steer clear of the pits by
providing honest feedback on as many experiences as you can. Remember that
wherever you live, others may be traveling to or through your area, and
the information you can provide on places you visit (or avoid visiting!) every
day can be invaluable to others. The more feedback provided by everyone, the
more useful such services become for us all!
How to choose a travel insurance policy
When deciding on a travel insurance policy,
it can be helpful to look into the details of not only what coverages are
provided, but how the company handles claims and emergencies. After all, if you
are injured or ill in a foreign country, will you know how to contact a doctor,
or where you should go for treatment?
The customer service information, or a list of FAQs
can provide a lot of insight into how a company manages claims and what level
of assistance you can expect. For example, with some providers you can expect
access to a 24-hour hotline to a team of medical professionals who will be able
to assess your situation and tell you exactly how to proceed.
You should expect a company with the ability to
speak various foreign languages in order to assure clear communication and the
best care. Coordination between your personal physician at home, yourself
and/or family members, and the medical professionals at your travel
destination is an important service. In some cases, if you need to remain for
treatment, they may even provide for a family member to fly to your location to
help care for you. If it is better for you to return home, they can arrange
that as well.
Knowing that the company you select will be there to
help guide you in seeking treatment if you should need it is just as important
as knowing they will pay for necessary costs. You can relax knowing that, even
in a serious situation, competent assistance is just a phone call away,
especially when the company you select is dedicated to providing the best
possible care in any situation that may arise.
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