Name: Traveling During the Corona Virus Outbreak | Should You Still Go on Your Trip?
Uploaded: 2020-03-11T22:30:10.000Z
Duration: 9 min 47 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

If you’ve 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

Secondly, if you do travel to China, you’re likely going to have issues entering other

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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.

You’ll 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.

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 is “it depends.”

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

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 you’re traveling outside

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

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

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

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 you’ll want to research your airline’s

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

Lastly, if you’re scheduled for a cruise, you’re 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 you’re still traveling or planning to travel, and wondering how you can reduce

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Traveling During the Corona Virus Outbreak | Should You Still Go on Your Trip?

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