To assume families with children too young to be vaccinated won’t be able to holiday overseas for years?

[ohcarolina2001]

So various countries are welcoming vaccinated people. By autumn my partner and I should both have had both vaccines, but our 1 year old DD is not eligible for a vaccine and by the time all the trials etc have been done on progressively younger people, we are years away from her being vaccinated. AIBU to assume we can’t take her on her first overseas holiday any time soon, because there is no exemption for unvaccinated children who can of course still spread Covid-19?

The only possibility I can see is going to a country which doesn’t require anyone to be vaccinated - but surely these destinations are a much riskier prospect (with an unvaccinated toddler licking everything and no vaccine 100% effective anyway).

Looking at holiday websites, most package holidays seem to be sold out for autumn already. These can’t all have been bought by couples without kids and older couples with adult children, surely? Have families with kids who won’t be vaccinated booked too and are hoping for positive news that kids will be exempt from the requirement to have their vaccines before entry?

If other countries - as mentioned on this thread - are doing such a piss poor job of vaccinating their adult population then I am even more content that we have taken the decision not to bother going abroad this year.
I sincerely hope that the "I've just got to get away hun!" brigade don't cock it up for the rest of us.
Or at least that the vast vaccine rollout in the UK pays off and we avoid any further significant waves. I don't know how likely that is though, and it worries me.

We're planning a bit of a staycation later in the year, with day trips within the UK. Maybe a night or two away in a hotel so we can go a bit further afield. I am hoping for another spring/summer like last year, the weather was amazing. More of that please!

I am personally pretty gutted that we have missed out on being able to holiday freely in the last year before my eldest starts school, but worse things have happened...

After feeling the way I did after my vaccines I’d think twice about my kids having it 🤢😩
It’s not law to of had the vaccines to travel but preferred however kids from 6+ ( I think) and non vaccinated adults will require negative pcr tests before and after just depends on each country personally don’t think holidays abroad especially Europe will go ahead anytime soon as they’re so behind with vaccines and more lockdowns I’m having to change mine again to next year just don’t feel safe going

Yeah I agree, family holidays are a very much needed indulgence but I work with a lot of Portuguese people, one of whom is only in her early twenties. She really misses her Mum. Sad thing is tho, I think she has got more used to it now.

@tigerlilly22

Yeah I agree, family holidays are a very much needed indulgence but I work with a lot of Portuguese people, one of whom is only in her early twenties. She really misses her Mum. Sad thing is tho, I think she has got more used to it now.

Trust me we don’t get used to it. I don’t. When all this started I thought well I’ll see them in summer. Then it was Xmas. Then it was my bday. Then my sons bday and now I’m hoping to see them this summer. You keep thinking it’ll soon happen but it doesn’t because the country goes into another lockdown. I at least keep following the rules ... and feel like a twat. I can’t see my family and keep following the rules hoping I’ll soon be able to for what ? More lockdowns ? So as soon as I can I’ll be on a plane and i don’t care whether mn thinks I’m killing grannies in this country ... I’ll try and minimise any impact on my way back to others (I wfh and have food delivered so no need to engage with others ) but no you don’t get used to not having your family so far when you see how others don’t give a shit in this country

@MaxNormal and @lulalondon next round is on me!

@psychomath cheers!

@EasterIssland the honest truth is if you determined to go you’ll get there. You can always use compassionate grounds in the worse case scenario. I have a colleague who is going to Lebanon next week to see her parent , they just can’t hold on any longer it’s making them mentally unwell. I have other colleagues who have been to the US, Korea and various other places in the last 6 months.
If not being able to see your family is affecting you, that’s ok , acknowledge it and that you have to go for your mental health. You can be careful when you are there, maintaining social distancing and so on. It is possible to travel responsibly no matter what people are saying, if you are careful when you are in the uk you will be careful abroad too.
Quietly make your plans and ignore those who have some 18-30s party fest in their mind.

@psychomath yum!!! Can't wait!

I can't stand this holier than thou attitude on here! We can hope and wish for a lovely summer holiday! Not being funny If you're travelling abroad for business you've got just as much risk of bringing something back and spreading it to the whole of Butlins in Skegness!

So many people have flouted the rules and now with children going back to school I put myself at risk every time I walk round the park or go the supermarket where hundreds of children are running around without wearing a mask! I've done everything the government has asked of me, Including giving birth on my own so if I'm allowed to get away I bloody well will
Jump at the chance! Xxxxxxx

Thanks @redgirl1 yes I know I can go. But I don’t think it’s the right thing to do to go against the government advice. I’ll go when it’s allowed. If it’s summer then I’ll.

Many mn tho would love it the country was locked forever without realising that the virus will be here forever and we need to find a balance to live with it. I’m more at risk in this country to catch the virus than in many other parts of the world. I understand that if I go to Germany now I’d need to take precautions when I’m back. I think that’s understandable. But it doesn’t make sense that if I go to the Maldives on holidays for example because I can and I want to then I’m acussed of killing people in this country. In the meantime they fail to see that what people do in this country is not helping , I live in Bristol ... we’ve had 2 massive raves in the last year. (One with 3000 people ) I didn’t see many threads in mn saying how this people should be locked up

@QuentinInQuarantino do you live near San Sebastian?
I'm so jealous!
I have been to Bilbao & San Sebastian with work years ago and thought they were fabulous places. Always wanted to return on holiday when my time was my own.

Almost every situation where 'vaccine passports' have been mentioned there has been the alternative option of 'a negative covid test' - which means that children and those unable to be vaccinated have a way to do things.

And even then the chances are this isn't for ever anyway.

Once covid is a lesser illness, as with all other pandemics, it will become far less of an issue.

Also the vaccines may well be licensed for children, or at least one or two of them. Trials are in place for some. Other forms of the vaccine are also been developed too, such as a spray version like the way they give the flu vaccine, iirr.

So yes, maybe this year you can't necessarily travel abroad. I very much doubt that will be the case next year though.

"Once covid is a lesser illness, as with all other pandemics, it will become far less of an issue."
Very true!

The difficulty with vaccine passport is to work out exemptions. If I decide that because I had an allergy to a vaccine as a child and I'm breastfeeding I don't want the vaccine (as the manufacturer's guidance is vague at best) but my GP feels there is no actual 'risk' - would I be exempt? It would be too complicated. Best to have covid tests as the alternative.

@oblada yes I think there will be the option of a negative test/quarantine for those who haven’t yet or can’t have the vaccine. But I would have thought an exemption list wouldn’t be complicated at all, it’s done for other mandatory vaccines (e.g. yellow fever) and the exemption list is quite simple. It will just be anyone who is advised not to get it due to health reasons, anyone who isn’t advised that is choosing not to have it and therefore not exempt.

@jessstan2 have to agree with you completely.
O

Completely different train of thought here, I just remember last year, April May time, when skies were so blue and birdsong so pronounced, and air quality so greatly improved. So many people remarked about it, and would we learn anything from it, seemingly not. I fear for all these children with parents keen to fly off on holiday somewhere, their future looks bleak at the best of times, with climate change and sea level rise, extinction and food shortages, I just hope that some environmental recompense is made by all these jet setters. Our children will inherit the damage we are doing now.

Ineke - what do you propose to do then? Destroy the travel and aviation industry costing millions of people their livelihood? Prevent people from seeing family abroad? Stop people from emigrating? It is a little bit complex than that.

I think that I do hope will have changed and will have an impact is travel for professional reasons - I expect many companies have realised it is often not necessary and meetings can be done remotely.

I am hoping that people will be more thoughtful about the necessity to fly, there are other ways to travel, slow travel is becoming very attractive. Holidays are important for well being, an environmental contribution to offset the carbon footprint made is something we could consider. And yes, most meetings are possible online not necessary for a flight to be involved. Carbon zero by 2050 is the ambition. If we don't achieve this, the planet and our grand children are going to have a bleak and hostile future. This pandemic is nothing compared to the dangers of climate change.

And yes, just as with the coal industry, the tobacco industry, the aviation industry will need to change and people will loose their livelihoods or new technology will be developed such as Hydrogen fuelled aircraft. We cannot continue as we are, this much is obvious.

Sorry for delay, was DD’s birthday weekend! Am overwhelmed by the number of replies and it’s so interesting to read all the different views. Clearly an issue on many people’s minds at the moment. Will have a crack at replying to as many as I can now…..

Am jealous of those of you with kids who have booked holidays overseas like @Bumblebee1980a and @londonscalling and hope you have a wonderful time!

I agree that travel is potentially risky given the possibility of cancellations, having to isolate in an expensive quarantine hotel or take tests etc, not to mention the risk of new variants which our vaccines might not provide protection against. There doesn’t seem to be a particular risk for 1 year olds’ health so far though @en0l (although I appreciate she could be asymptomatic and spreading it so she poses a risk to others). Like you, @EasterIssland, our DD is in nursery so this is an unavoidable daily risk to her/us from covid anyway and probably worse than taking a return flight once.

To everyone saying UK holidays are fine, yes they are fine and will have to do for now for us, but overseas holidays give so much more choice, are better value for money even when factoring in flights etc, provide interesting cultural experiences (even if baby doesn’t remember the holiday as such, it will still be an experience to be enjoyed in the moment which also shapes her). But it’s as much for the adults as for the babies, the babies are happy as long as they are with their family @Livelovebehappy. I’m with @changingnames786 and @Subordinateclause and @Wtfdidwedo and @Bunsygirl and @EasterIssland and @MagicSummer and @TheVelvetiser on this one!

Although there is always a risk of teething misery etc when travelling with babies and toddlers, lots of family resorts are really well set up for babies and toddlers with facilities for the whole family at a good price with kiddy pools and playgrounds, kids clubs, different restaurants and cafes, interesting places to visit, and you’re close to your room so they can take naps – at least if we’re in a resort, one parent can swim and relax while the other entertains the toddler @Pinchoftums? When I was growing up, we alternated between UK and overseas holidays each year – and while I enjoyed them all, I infinitely preferred all the overseas holidays! But the main issue is of course the weather which is totally unreliable in the UK and there isn’t much scope for a decent break outside of the summer months if you want to enjoy the great outdoors. We would love some winter sun. The UK is pretty much booked up for the whole summer, the accommodation remaining now is really the absolute dregs, in a terrible location or absurdly priced for what it is – whereas there are still a fair few holidays overseas available to book (although these are filling up rapidly too).

I have huge sympathy for families living in different countries right now @stealthbanana (my family are now all in the UK but over the last 10-20 years we have been apart at various times with people living and working in Africa, North America and the middle east) – and of course no one predicted this global pandemic, @siyhack58342 and @QuentinInQuarantino – it really is once in a lifetime stuff. @Plumedenom, like you I never imagined Brexit happening in my lifetime either ☹

Good point, @Subordinateclause that many of the booked out holidays are those transferred from last year, didn’t think of that!
I think you’re probably right, @MessAllOver and @housemdwaswrong that travel companies and countries heavily reliant on tourism may need to make an exemption for unvaccinated children. That’s good news about children under 10 being exempt from testing in Greece, @Alfaix – and Spain, @Marvelwife123

For those of us that want to go on holiday with our kids abroad , there is some more info today in the news

A traffic light system is being considered by ministers for when international travel restarts, which could rate countries green, amber and red depending on the state of vaccine passport agreements.

The Guardian has been told the scheme could come into operation from August, with hotel quarantining continuing until at least 21 June for UK nationals and residents returning to England from countries with high prevalence of coronavirus variants of concern.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/mar/22/uk-considers-covid-traffic-light-system-for-international-travel