Would you travel to Italy with your family in 4 weeks?

Longshot

I have a family holiday booked over Easter to Rome and Sicily. Were you in my shoes and based on what we know right now (of course things may change over the next four weeks), would you be inclined to cancel the holiday or go?

I can see it both ways so interested to see what people think.

dodgy

Flying or driving? I'd be more worried about infection on the flight than anywhere else.

Longshot

dodgy said:

Flying or driving? I'd be more worried about infection on the flight than anywhere else.

Good question. Flying (3 flights in total).

rick_chasey

Entirely depends how OK you are with being quarantined on your return.

coopster_the_1st

I voted Go.

I would only consider not going if one of the travelling party had an underlying medical condition or if they were a smoker (they are very likely to have underlying respiratory issues)

This virus will do little to healthy people

Longshot

coopster_the_1st said:

I voted Go.

I would only consider not going if one of the travelling party had an underlying medical condition or if they were a smoker (they are very likely to have underlying respiratory issues)

This virus will do little to healthy people

Yes, that is largely my own view. My concerns are more related to enforced quarantine, return flight cancellations (while we're there) and just natural (albeit unfounded maybe) worry about my kids. Holidays are meant to be relaxing after all.

twotoebenny

If you weren't quarantined and someone contracted the virus could you potentially pass it to others? (some of whom might have respiratory problems) I think there's more to it than just your family bubble...
I'm not suggesting you don't go, I have a friend who has travelled to Far East and cares not a jot about it as it's "only" killed a few folk and he's fighting fit and retired (he's posted it all over FB) I can't help but think that he could potentially infect others upon his return who are maybe not as fortunate in terms of health.

elbowloh

I think Sicilly is safer than Rome? I'd probably go.

pblakeney

I voted "go" for pretty much the reasons that the Coopster gave.
FFS! I agree with the Coopster! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

joeyhalloran

Just my 2c but isn't it quite a selfish view that "virus would do little to healthy people", you are still spreading it and that spread will infect other people, some of who may be older or have existing issues.

kingstongraham

Also, it is pretty unpleasant for most people even if it doesn't kill you.

rjsterry

Will there be anything open to visit?

Stevo_666

Probably not, due to the likely need to self isolate when you are back or even problems getting back if you pick it up there and they won't let you on the plane home.

If you're thinking of cancelling check your insurance policy and maybe wait for a bit as you might need the official 'no travel' advice before you can get a payout?

fenix

Can you WFH on your return ? Do you have any elderly parents or relatives you can pass the bug onto ? Is the holiday important to you ?

It is a tricky decision and we are still in the early days of the virus.

TheBigBean

There is an unheathly amount of overconfidence on show with regard to corona. It seems to rest on the unproven iceberg theory.

Better to take advice from China and the WHO.

pblakeney

TheBigBean said:

There is an unheathly amount of overconfidence on show with regard to corona. It seems to rest on the unproven iceberg theory.

Better to take advice from China and the WHO.

And what exactly do the WHO recommend for travel to Rome?

awavey

joeyhalloran said:

Just my 2c but isn't it quite a selfish view that "virus would do little to healthy people", you are still spreading it and that spread will infect other people, some of who may be older or have existing issues.

I think the time of it being largely contained just in Italy has already passed, there are more cases each day across Europe of people who havent travelled to the most impacted countries cropping up and we are clearly at the bottom of the exponentional curve, so you could pick it up just as easily staying at home.

Easter is still a month away though the situation could change for the worse or things could get better very quickly, Id give it at least another 2 weeks before Id make a final decision but at the moment Id say go.

surrey_commuter

If I went to Italy I would not be allowed back in the office for two weeks

twotoebenny

pblakeney said:

TheBigBean said:

There is an unheathly amount of overconfidence on show with regard to corona. It seems to rest on the unproven iceberg theory.

Better to take advice from China and the WHO.

And what exactly do the WHO recommend for travel to Rome?

Get on the 5:15

coopster_the_1st

TheBigBean said:

There is an unheathly amount of overconfidence on show with regard to corona. It seems to rest on the unproven iceberg theory.

Better to take advice from China and the WHO.

And there is an even greater amount of hysteria on show at the moment.

To move to your level of caution, why are old people(they areat the highest risk) still out and about, and not protecting themselves? I type this sat in a cafe where about 25%(6 people) who are in this category are here.

But according to some the OP should give up his family holiday and lose the money on it!

The reality is this virus is now in the wild in the UK and Europe but for most people it is a mild illness. Personally if I am going to get this virus I want it sooner rather than later as then I will have immunity to it

veronese68

surrey_commuter said:

If I went to Italy I would not be allowed back in the office for two weeks

Anywhere in Italy?
Must confess I agree with Coopster on this. Way too much hysteria at present, follow guidelines from WHO or whichever government department on where to go but I didn’t think Rome or Sicily were considered no go areas yet.
Best advice is to wait and see. As someone mentioned the plane is probably the highest risk anyway.

joe2019

coopster_the_1st said:

TheBigBean said:

There is an unheathly amount of overconfidence on show with regard to corona. It seems to rest on the unproven iceberg theory.

Better to take advice from China and the WHO.

And there is an even greater amount of hysteria on show at the moment.

To move to your level of caution, why are old people(they areat the highest risk) still out and about, and not protecting themselves? I type this sat in a cafe where about 25%(6 people) who are in this category are here.

But according to some the OP should give up his family holiday and lose the money on it!

The reality is this virus is now in the wild in the UK and Europe but for most people it is a mild illness. Personally if I am going to get this virus I want it sooner rather than later as then I will have immunity to it

Are you sure about that?

Pross

I just hope things settle down by August as we finally booked a holiday to Venice and Garda before all this blew up after planning to go and not getting around to it for the last 3 years.

coopster_the_1st

joe2019 said:

coopster_the_1st said:

TheBigBean said:

There is an unheathly amount of overconfidence on show with regard to corona. It seems to rest on the unproven iceberg theory.

Better to take advice from China and the WHO.

And there is an even greater amount of hysteria on show at the moment.

To move to your level of caution, why are old people(they areat the highest risk) still out and about, and not protecting themselves? I type this sat in a cafe where about 25%(6 people) who are in this category are here.

But according to some the OP should give up his family holiday and lose the money on it!

The reality is this virus is now in the wild in the UK and Europe but for most people it is a mild illness. Personally if I am going to get this virus I want it sooner rather than later as then I will have immunity to it

Are you sure about that?

Yes.

You are I believe referring to a case in Japan. This is where media hysteria is not helping

If you are unsure, ask yourself what is the point of developing a vaccine?

joe2019

coopster_the_1st said:

joe2019 said:

coopster_the_1st said:

TheBigBean said:

There is an unheathly amount of overconfidence on show with regard to corona. It seems to rest on the unproven iceberg theory.

Better to take advice from China and the WHO.

And there is an even greater amount of hysteria on show at the moment.

To move to your level of caution, why are old people(they areat the highest risk) still out and about, and not protecting themselves? I type this sat in a cafe where about 25%(6 people) who are in this category are here.

But according to some the OP should give up his family holiday and lose the money on it!

The reality is this virus is now in the wild in the UK and Europe but for most people it is a mild illness. Personally if I am going to get this virus I want it sooner rather than later as then I will have immunity to it

Are you sure about that?

Yes.

You are I believe referring to a case in Japan. This is where media hysteria is not helping

If you are unsure, ask yourself what is the point of developing a vaccine?

OK, so ask yourself why do people have the need for a new flu vaccine every year?

rjsterry

Immunity in the immediate future (assuming survival and recovery) is very likely but not guaranteed. Nobody has a clue about long term immunity.

rjsterry

Even assuming you could guarantee that the OP and his family would not catch nor spread the infection, I'm still not sure I'd want to go on holiday to somewhere that's semi-deserted with nothing open. It would be like visiting a British seaside town in January.

pblakeney

rjsterry said:

It would be like visiting a British seaside town in January.

Bliss. I'd much prefer that to a bank holiday weekend.

dennisn

Going to Sicily near the end of September. (Hopefully)

ddraver

Managed to tear my ACL so ma and pa raver were planning on coming out in their camper van to help me post-op. Trying to convince them that self-isolating in the Swiss Alps would be much better than back in the UK...

rjsterry

pblakeney said:

rjsterry said:

It would be like visiting a British seaside town in January.

Bliss. I'd much prefer that to a bank holiday weekend.

I detect a fellow misanthrope