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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tenerife - to go or not to go?!

68 replies

TenerifeGrief · 27/02/2020 07:19

We have a holiday booked to Cost Adeje, flying out this weekend. We are two healthy adults, a toddler and baby.

I’m not overly worried about Coronavirus per se (and would 100% go if it was just us two) but I am concerned about getting quarantined in my hotel room with the children as well as spending the whole week talking solely about Coronavirus! What would you do in my situation?

YABU - Just go!
YANBU - Cancel and go to Centre Parcs instead!

OP posts:
Sceptre86 · 28/02/2020 16:08

I am considering booking a holiday to Spain in September but will wait till a few months before to see if Corona has all blown over. I would consider how you would cope being quarantined in a hotel room for two weeks with two kids. Would you have enough clothes, nappies, stuff to keep you entertained if you are confined to your room? A friend is going to tenerife next week and whilst slightly concerned is still going as can't afford to lose the money and will just take sensible precautions. I have bought him a box of masks and hand sanitizer to take on holiday with him.

halcyondays · 28/02/2020 16:08

If you were quarantined in a villa at Centerparcs at least you’d have more space than stuck in a hotel room with young kids - nightmare!

ElderAve · 28/02/2020 16:10

If you cancel without being out of pocket, I would. As you say, not for fear of illness itself but for fear of being stranded in a hotel room for weeks on end.

If it will cost you to cancel, it would depend on how much the money us to you.

Cornettoninja · 28/02/2020 16:10

@recycledbottle CBeebies?

Chocolatedaim · 28/02/2020 16:14

To make statements that have no factual basis is scaremongering and dangerous.

I have a friend who retuned from Tenerife last Monday.
As long as you observe basic hygiene you should be fine. Take extra hand sanitiser with you but you should be fine.
North Italy on the other hand, I would be saying no way!

Teacup34 · 28/02/2020 16:36

I would cancel if you can. It's the plane journey that would worry me I've seen no mention of planes being deep cleaned after a flight, what about the flight attendants they are in close proximity to possibly infected people and then going on to the next flight.

blue25 · 28/02/2020 16:40

It’s the thought of being stuck abroad that’s worrying me, not so much catching the virus which we could catch here.

I’d rather be quarantined at home than in a hotel room 5 hours flight away.

Juanmorebeer · 28/02/2020 16:48

I would absolutely still go. It is just one hotel. If you are not booked to stay in it then crack on. Have a lovely time

Frazzled2207 · 28/02/2020 17:23

I think you'd have just as much chance of being quarantined at center parcs tbh. Not sure if that's better. Possibly a bit.

rockingthelook · 28/02/2020 20:43

I'd go, keep practicing good hand hygiene and enjoy!

ceilihouse · 28/02/2020 20:46

We are here at the moment and it's normal life and routine, we don't see or hear anything different than usual,

hartof · 28/02/2020 20:48

Go! As a travel agent, we have had lots of emails from the local hotels telling us it's business as usual. Lots of people in the business have guests over there saying it's fine. I would have no issues going.

Somerville · 28/02/2020 20:51

If come into contact with someone who is diagnosed with it, or the outbreak in Tenerife gets worse, you could be quarantined out there for 14 days and then quarantined for an additional 14 days on your arrival back here.
Can you both afford that month off work? Would the fear of that overshadow your holiday even if things calm down now in Tenerife?

For me it would be a big hell no. Too much uncertainty right now.

Shakespearesbrother · 28/02/2020 20:53

I would go if just adults but I wouldn’t take young children just in case.

JustInCaseCakeHappens · 28/02/2020 20:54

you could be quarantined out there for 14 days
true

I'd upgrade my room to a family suite of some kind, and go!

Somerville · 28/02/2020 20:59

we have had lots of emails from the local hotels telling us it's business as usual

That isn’t reassuring. Consider the source. Tourist resorts need to keep their tourists - one region of this planet after another have been in denial over Coronavirus to protect their economy - until cases overwhelm resources and there is a sudden quarantine.
Everyone has different attitudes to risk and it’s fair enough to decide that it’s a risk one is happy to take, but travel agents should be honest about what the risks are and what to consider, not blindly follow the advice of hotels desperate to stay in business.

A friend of mine is missing work right now after returning from northern Italy. She’s certain she only has a cold, but her work are enforcing her staying at home - and are not planning to pay her. She’ll struggle to pay her rent this month. Other people quarantined will be paid or can afford the unpaid leave. Travel is therefore probably less of a risk to them.

trilbydoll · 28/02/2020 21:02

I would not be worried about catching it but being quarantined with two small children could be a total nightmare!

TiddlestheCat · 28/02/2020 21:26

It's not whether you go or not that bothers me. It's whether you come back with a fever! Wink

Flaxmeadow · 28/02/2020 21:44

While we don't need to panic, the death rate for flu is 0.2. Coronavirus is around 2%.

True, or even slightly higher for Coronavirus

As others have said, l'm also tired of these comparisons with 'flu'. CV is not 'flu'. it's a new SARS related virus. So pretty much an unknown quantity at the moment, in the way it is transmitted and how it will behave, now or in the future.

Having said that. I would still go to Tenerife if I was going this weekend but I would be cautious, on the flight, at the airport, as well as on the holiday.

KaptenKrusty · 28/02/2020 21:47

I’d go! I’m going to Japan soon no worries about it - bring put in quarantine after or during the trip wouldn’t overly bother me either tbh

Sure the centreparcs in the UK could get locked down due to a coronavirus case and you be stuck there !

Roselilly36 · 29/02/2020 07:24

We are planning to cancel, for two reasons, I have an autoimmune condition, and there is no way we can afford for DH & DS’ to be quarantined if the worse came to the worst. From my understanding employers are not contractually bound to pay staff during a quarantined period. We will lose money on our flights etc but in our circumstances, I think we have made the right decision.

Snuffkindle · 29/02/2020 07:45

I'd cancel and I wouldn't be going to center parcs either. I'd want to be avoiding big groups of people for the time being.

Darcydashwood · 29/02/2020 07:47

We are due to go next week and will be going unless the travel advice changes. I am apprehensive but don’t want to lose the money on the holiday. We are in a self catering apartment not in the affected area and are pretty anti social! Might feel more worried if we were in a big all inclusive type place. If travel advice changes we might think again but for now we are going. I do have wipes and hand gel for on the plane etc

Guacamole · 29/02/2020 07:57

Pedant here but...

The flu kills more people each year than coronavirus does

That's just incorrect

Actually it is correct at this stage, it may not stay correct. And the % mortality for Coronavirus is higher than flu. But as we stand the flue does call “more people” each year as in actual numbers of people.

Personally OP I wouldn’t go. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it.

Guacamole · 29/02/2020 07:57

Typos... sorry