AIBU to cancel holiday?

[Nostrings457]

Booked to go to Malta in May - holiday balance is due tomorrow (over 6k). Travelling with young children and 1 aduly is aged 65+

Malta has no coronavirus cases currently but who knows what will happen between now and May. I dont want to pay the balance and then risk trying to claim off insurance if we dont go.

I suppose its more a what would you do than aibu?

(I know the risk is so low, influenza kills more people etc.. but i dont want to end up in quarantine with 3 young kids somewhere either)

We might all wish we were in Malta by the time May comes!

I wish I was there now!

I understood travel insurance kicks in if the government advises against travel or if you are vulnerable ie with a health condition like COPD and get a drs cert.

I'd check the cover before paying the balance.

I think people saying don’t go, are being way over the top. This level of panic happens in the tabloids every time there is a new virus. It kills 1% of people, mainly elderly and ill. It’s not classified as a pandemic (as other viruses have been). It’s not even in the country you’re travelling to. I think you will end up regretting cancelling it.

Daughter is due to go to Bucharest in a couple of weeks for short break. They are not going to cancel . They will go unless it is cancelled.
I was going to book somewhere last week for May but that day the country got a couple of cases . So for now am doing nothing, but still hope to go .
What do the other adults in your party think?
Don't make the decision alone, and hopefully you will get .

I would not cancel. FCO have not said don't go to Malra. Insurance won't pay out.

I would love to know where you stay in Malta for £300.

Don’t cancel. The media are making a joke out of it all to some extent. I work for the nhs and the regular flu kills 30,000 a year, you wouldn’t lock yourself indoors all winter would you? There’s a 0.2% of death with this virus. More chance of wining lottery jackpot. Honestly, just go unless advised not too by WHO.

Of course you are not being unreasonable, if you are not going to enjoy it or worry between now and then and you prefer to lose your deposit cancel.
By then it could be the same as now or over or we could all be on lock down ! We have no idea.
It first matter what people tell you if it further feel right don’t forget it .

“I am due to go to Florida on the 17th march and this morning have seen that florida has 150 cases of the virus, “

False, no confirmed cases in Florida at all. They are keeping tabs on a possible 150 cases of which so far are testing negative.
Literally 17 confirmed in the whole of the USA as of today.

I don’t think you are being unreasonable, I’d be concerned, not overly but certainly concerned and my main concern would not the the actual holiday but more the plane and the potential to be mixing with someone on that plane that maybe carrying the virus. The way it’s spreading is very concerning.

The other thing is I find the way that holiday companies, hotels and particularly cruise ships are dealing with the issue, basically locking people in rooms, forbidding them to leave and, in the case of the Diamond Princess probably their actions caused many more people to contract the virus and potentially caused deaths.

You need to make the right decision for your family, check insurance as I’m almost sure that insurance companies will start to introduce clauses eventually to cover themselves

@Tigerlilly17

I though death rate was being estimated at 2%?

*though the

2% death rate!

Sorry, fat fingers: *thought

It's a tricky one, I think if you are all healthy and don't have any close relatives it might be ok, but to those saying it's only 1 percent death rate in the UK that's like 700,000 people that could die this year in the UK alone. So maybe our kids will be ok but my mum for example has bad asthma and is 64 so I'd worry for her catching it off me any my family. I have something booked for Barcelona in June but at this point think we won't go, but I only spent £350 not thousands so easier to take the hit. I'm not formally cancelling though until nearer the time as I'd like to see if things get better by then rather than worse but for now I'll watch and wait with a eye to not going.

Don't think twice. Cancel. I've booked to Southern Italy. Unable to cancel without massive charges otherwise would have. It's too risky to end up quarantined in an strange country. I think is wise to wait to see how this will spread. Italy already has over 1000 cases and it's very close to Malta

@Tigerlilly17 with respect, no we don’t all stay inside to avoid seasonal flu, but health workers don’t go round in hazmat suits for seasonal flu do they? People don’t get quarantined either! You can’t compare!

@Nearly47 why go if you’re worried? What’s more important, your health or your money?

@BunsyGirl
Overall in China possibly. Worldwide the figure changes. If you are under 65 with no serious health issues it should not be fatal at all. For most of us, it’s a week in bed feeling rotten. Like normal flu, if elderly or severe health complications/issues then there is a risk of death. It’s all being blown way out of proportion and causing fear . Keep good hand hygiene ( pound-shops sell hand gel) and keep clear of those with flu like symptoms. X

@lilgreen
They are doing that to simply contain it best they can. Same as patients with confirmed flu in hospitals in the uk. You are kept in an isolated room, staff wear ppe when entering and any patients you came into contact with prior to confirmation are given tamiflu as a precaution. I know as I’ve been both the patient in this instance as well as the staff caring for such patients.
Protective clothing protects the staff member as well as preventing the spread x

We are also considering cancelling. Our son has a chronic condition that means his immune system can be compromised. We wouldn't think twice about it if this wasn't the case but we are concerned about crowded places and the flight. The city/country we are visiting doesn't seem to be affected. Yet. We are hanging on to see how it pans out but 90% sure we are going to cancel. We may see if we can transfer the flights to later in the year rather than lose them entirely.

@lilgreen, I am not planning to go. Just there is no point in actually cancelling as would on only get taxes back. If things improve until then I might go. But it doesn't seem likely... Luckily so far have only booked flights

The other consideration is whether the things you want to do will be open, depending on what type of holiday it is. The Louvre didn't open today, I see. There might well be other tourist attraction closures, I imagine.

I would not go. The only place I want to be at the moment is close to home. I think we are going to see things get a lot worse. It is not the same as flu unfortunately. I am not booking to go anywhere at the moment. I am not over reacting or panicking but as we have never experienced anything like this before I feel it best to wait and see what happens.