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  • If youve been watching the news, then you know that the coronavirus, or COVID-19, which

  • is the official name for the virus, continues to spread.

  • While most of us outside of China have not been affected, the spread of the virus does

  • affect those who may have travel plans to the region.

  • Hey, it’s Ernest from Trip Astute.

  • In this video, I’m going to cover what you should do if you have an upcoming trip that

  • is affected by the coronavirus and share some general tips to stay healthy while traveling.

  • First off, I want to express my solidarity with those directly affected by the coronavirus.

  • I can only imagine how scary and frustrating it must be, and I empathize with those who

  • are in or close to the epicenter of the outbreak.

  • Secondly, I want to say that while the coronavirus is spreading and is considered a major health

  • threat, it’s important to have some perspective on it, especially those of us in areas that

  • have not seen an outbreak.

  • According to the CDC, more people are infected every year by the influenza virus, also known

  • as the flu.

  • During the 2018 to 2019 flu season, the CDC estimated that 35.5 million people were infected

  • with the flu and over 34,000 people died.

  • And it wasn’t even a severe flu season.

  • I say all this because there is a lot of fear and anxiety generated by all the news of the

  • coronavirus.

  • And while I don’t disagree that it is a serious medical threat, it’s important to

  • understand that the common flu is more likely to cause harm and disrupt your travel.

  • Of course, it’s what we don’t know about the coronavirus that makes it so scary.

  • Scientists are learning more about the virus every day, including effective treatments.

  • But not knowing how the virus is mutating or exactly how it spreads makes many people

  • uneasy, and I don’t blame them.

  • So, what if you have a trip planned in the near future to China or other areas experiencing

  • cases of the coronavirus?

  • Should you cancel your trip?

  • Does your credit card or travel insurance cover a disruption caused by an outbreak?

  • I’m hoping to help answer these questions in this video.

  • Let’s tackle the first question: Should you cancel a trip to China?

  • The answer is, yes.

  • I would avoid a trip to China or even one that routes through an airport in China.

  • Part of it is because the State Department has issued a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory

  • for the country.

  • Secondly, if you do travel to China, youre likely going to have issues entering other

  • countries, or even returning back to the US without additional screening and potential

  • quarantine.

  • For me, it’s just not worth the risk and hassle.

  • Some of you might be less risk-averse, but if you want my honest opinion, I don’t think

  • you should travel to China right now.

  • If youre in this situation or even have a trip just a few weeks away, you could wait

  • to see if the virus is better contained.

  • Though I suggest contacting the airlines to see what can be done.

  • Rather than just canceling or forfeiting your trip, you may have to pay a change or cancelation

  • fee.

  • Though many of the major airlines have suspended or reduced their flight service to China,

  • so it’s likely that the airlines will work with you.

  • You might also consider redirecting your flight somewhere else for now while the outbreak

  • stabilizes.

  • Since many of you that watch this channel are avid travel credit card users, you should

  • be aware that most credit card and travel insurance policies exclude outbreaks.

  • The general rule when it comes to travel insurance is that they will cover what happens to you,

  • but not what might happen to you.

  • American Express and Chase, for example, will not allow you to use the trip cancellation

  • because you are worried about getting infected.

  • However, if you can get your physician to document that your trip is not medically advisable,

  • you may be able to exercise your travel insurance option.

  • Youll still have to file a claim and wait for a decision, but from what I have read

  • online, it seems like your best chance of getting your coverage to kick in.

  • Now comes the more complicated scenario.

  • What about surrounding countries that may be experiencing some localized outbreaks.

  • This is where it gets a lot more confusing.

  • The answer for this situation isit depends.”

  • For example, with new cases being detected in areas like Southeast Asia, I know a lot

  • of travelers are worried about it.

  • In fact, just this week, an American passenger from a cruise ship that deboarded in Cambodia

  • was found to be infected with the coronavirus when attempting to connect to another flight

  • in Malaysia, meaning that they may have accidentally spread the virus while in the country.

  • Again, it depends on how risk-averse you are with your travels.

  • If it were me, I would probably avoid under-developed areas that seem to be experiencing outbreaks.

  • Most of the developed countries in region have the infrastructure and protocols in place

  • to screen for the virus and quarantine if necessary.

  • But I’m less confident about some developing countries that may just lack the infrastructure

  • and organization to control the situation.

  • I know the risk of contracting the virus is low, especially if youre traveling outside

  • of China.

  • However, I worry that if an outbreak worsens, then you may have problems reentering your

  • country of origin or face a quarantine.

  • That being said, I have a friend right now who is traveling in Japan and doesn’t seem

  • to be affected at all.

  • If you decide that you don’t want to travel to your destination, it may be harder to get

  • a refund on a flight.

  • Though there is the possibility of changing flights.

  • Also, keep in mind that you can often cancel flights if your itinerary has changed, especially

  • if the schedule shifted by more than two hours.

  • The rules are different for every airline, so youll want to research your airline’s

  • policy and see if others have similar experiences and data points to share online.

  • Lastly, if youre scheduled for a cruise, youre more than likely safe.

  • There’s a lot of coverage of cruise ships in Asia with infected passengers which might

  • lead you to believe that cruises are dangerous.

  • However, when you consider how many people take cruises every year and the number of

  • cruise ships out there, it’s safe to assume that cruising is safe.

  • And if you happen to be scheduled for a cruise in Asia, then you might want to contact the

  • cruise operator to see what precautions are in place.

  • Cruise companies seem to be well prepared for these types of situations.

  • Also, since many ports in Asia are turning away cruise ships, I wouldn’t be surprised

  • if the companies decided to refund or reschedule passengers onto trips elsewhere.

  • And if youre still traveling or planning to travel, and wondering how you can reduce

  • the risk of infection, here are some tips to keep in mind.

  • 1.

  • Consider booking fully-refundable tickets: While this is usually not the most cost-effective

  • solution, it might be worth considering if you are planning a trip in the next couple

  • of months.

  • I don’t typically recommend booking these types of tickets because of the price, but

  • in this scenario, it may be worth the extra cost.

  • And if you happen to be flying business or first-class, youll likely have an easier

  • or less expensive experience trying to change your flight.

  • It varies by airline, but most major airlines will allow business and first-class passengers

  • to change their flights for free or a lower price than economy passengers.

  • It might be something to consider if youre debating between an economy or a more premium

  • class seat.

  • 2.

  • Don’t wait until the last minute to change or cancel plans: If you think youll need

  • to alter your travel itinerary, I would do sooner than later.

  • Youll likely find more options available, especially if you decide to reroute your trip

  • to another destination.

  • 3.

  • Practice good sick hygiene and sanitation: Airports and airplanes aren’t the cleanest

  • places in the world, so make sure you wash your hands regularly and cover any coughs

  • and sneezes.

  • It probably goes without saying too, but youll want to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and

  • mouth to reduce the chance of infection.

  • Also, you probably don’t need to wear a face mask.

  • Most doctors seem to be in agreement that just washing your hands is the most effective

  • way to reduce infection.

  • I personally like to also wipe down my tray table, headrest, and armrest with sanitizing

  • wipes when I get to my airplane seat.

  • It may be overkill, but I’ve been doing it for years.

  • I just want to minimize the chance of getting sick when traveling, especially when I’m

  • using precious vacation time from work.

  • Also, the wipes come in handy whenever I visit a public bathroom where there isn’t running

  • water or soap.

  • 4.

  • Get up-to-date with your immunizations: Again, youre much more likely to contract the

  • flu when traveling, so I think it’s a no brainer to get the flu shot every year, especially

  • if youre a traveler.

  • Even if it doesn’t guarantee that youll be 100% resistant to the current strain, it’s

  • been shown to help those that contract some version of the influenza virus with their

  • recovery.

  • And if youre traveling to a developing country, make sure you review the recommended

  • immunizations.

  • Some of the immunizations require a lead time to be effective, so youll want to plan

  • accordingly.

  • I recommend visiting the CDC website and seeing what immunizations are necessary and talking

  • to your doctor about any potential risks.

  • 5.

  • Sign-up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP): Also known as STEP.

  • This is a free service provided by the State Department that keeps you up-to-date with

  • any hazards or notices when traveling abroad.

  • I used it years ago when I was in Southeast Asia and got a notification from the State

  • Department of a potentially violent protest in the capital of Cambodia due to a political

  • assassination.

  • The program can also help the local embassy contact you in case there is an emergency

  • or situation where you need their help.

  • I think it’s a great service, and one that you should use if youre a US citizen.

  • We actually did a video on it when we first started the channel in 2017, so check it out

  • for more information.

  • If anything, you might get a good laugh from how rough the video was compared to where

  • we are now after years of experience.

  • I honestly can’t even watch our old videos without cringing.

  • Again, I don’t to freak anyone out with this video.

  • This isn’t the first time we