Holiday and Coronavirus

[noenergy]

We are booked to go away over half term to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I'm starting to panic about germs on the airplane and risk of catching it. And also when we are out there.

Is anyone travelling over half term and rethinking their travel plans?

Following as in similar position and travelling whilst 28 weeks pregnant along with a 2 year old

I'd want to know where the flight was originating from.

Is no one else travelling over half term?

We are going to Disneyland paris next week, flying there. I can’t wait and will still be going. A little apprehensive, but not enough to lose money or miss out on a holiday

[https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates]

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates

Going to San Fran, LA and Vegas on Saturday from Heathrow and am very anxious about sitting on various flights, but with the virus now in the UK, it would be daft to consider cancelling. I think it's a lottery at this stage if you end up catching it. I've been completely irrational worrying about it but decided to now calm down and place it in the "nothing I can do about it anyway" box. Enjoy your trip

Another happy thought that there's probably more risk of contracting the virus in a busy airport terminal, ( close proximity to people who have perhaps in transit from who knows where , plus contact with things like escalator hand rails, lift buttons, surfaces in general) than you are at risk of contamination whilst sat in a seat on the aircraft.

My fear of catching it is really spoiling the excitement.

I will be taking plenty of wipes and hand sanitiser.

Just not sure we should wear face masks as I read somewhere that they are not very effective.

You will be fine unless you are flying through China.
The UAE is already monitoring temps & travel records. If there is even a slight chance you've come in contact with a carrier you will Immediately be taken to hospital.
Face masks are useless

Or on a plane that has an infected person who doesn’t know yet
Or in an airport queue next to an infected person who doesn’t know it yet

Well, there was a plan to go to Hong Kong, thankfully without flights booked. We're not going. I wouldnt ge goingvto mainland China either.
The Middle east isnt on the list because weve just spent 5 years living there, but I cant see a reason not to go. Weve just booked Cyprus for next week.

Was supposed to be in Taiwan now.

Cancelled as was already sick so didn't fancy long flight feeling terrible and probably making everyone around me nervous with my coughing.

We are also travelling over half term. We'll be wearing masks and sunglasses, and I've packed hand plus surface wipes.
We'll stand away from groups of people where possible, and I think that's about all we can do!

A really good article on the effectiveness of masks (even surgical masks successfully filter 63% of even the smallest particles).
smartairfilters.com/en/blog/do-pollution-masks-work/

I've also read that the disease severity depends on how big a viral load you are exposed to - so anything that reduces it is helpful.

Sorry, gave the wrong mask link. This is the right one.
smartairfilters.com/en/blog/coronavirus-pollution-masks-n95-surgical-mask/

@PatriciaBateman that's an interesting article. Which masks will u be using and where did u get them?

I’ve flown twice with the toddler in the past week. All fine. There were some people in the airport and on the plane wearing some masks but I’m not sure what the point was when like they woman sitting near us you take it off because you have to have your in flight wines. I would cancel if you were going to Asia but you’re not I’d vote for cracking on as usual and enjoying your holiday.

noenergy I have N95s I'm hoping to use, but I also have some surgical masks in case the kids just don't tolerate them (they're harder to breathe through and not as loose fitting).

I got them from either Amazon or ebay (can't remember) in January when this started kicking off. Prices have gone up enormously, but apparently they can also be reused carefully:
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hcwcontrols/recommendedguidanceextuse.html

going to Japan - am more worried about flights being cancelled and not being able to go - rather than having a fear of taking the flight - can't bloody wait to get going!

One of my travel destination has already imposed a ban 😭😭😭. But yes anti bac wipe everything, get the kids to sit by the window.

Currently in Dubai, flew on Monday with DS3. Was more worried about the storm delaying the flight than coronavirus! There were a few people on the plane in masks but nothing else. I wouldn't worry (but then again I live in the part of Brighton where the case has happened and I'm not worried there either)

I would go but take hand gel with high alcohol content with your on plane and use it before eating / after toilet when back in seat. I would do research on what works as its a virus not bacterial but think they said hand gel with alcohol works. I'm ocd though so would be cleaning everything in sight. We are due to go to Thailand and Malaysia in August and a bit worried but hopefully be over by then.

But surgical masks are for filtering inwards they are for filtering outwards. They are to protect the patient from the wearers germs not the other way round. Plus the filtration doesn’t actually last that long as they get wet from breathing and integrity in compromised. Which is why that is not even the main reason they are used in surgery. Purely to protect the wearer from splashing of fluids etc.

Absolutely waste of money wearing one to try to protect you against coronavirus. And they aren’t comfortable either trust me. Also note your link mentions 3m a lot. They make a lot of masks.... mmmm.

I work in the surgery environment and so infection control is a large part of my role. our department are currently being fitted for fit tested respirator masks as they are the only protection for viral epidemics like this and flu etc. We aren’t front line NHS staff (theatres) but I guess if patients need ecmo we will see them our way (like the flu epidemics).

Yes I also read they are useless for personal protection but I don't object to many people wearing them because at least I am then protected from their germs!