Due to go to Lisbon this weekend - would you go?

[Snufflebabe05]

My OH and I bought a trip to Lisbon for our Christmas last year. We try to get a mini-break, just the two of us, once a year. We are due to fly Thurs - Sunday. I am heavily considering cancelling. I have a knot in my stomach thinking about going. Things I am concerned about:

1. One or both of us catching Coronavirus and having to go into hospital in Portugal. Meaning we can’t come home.
2. Spending time on planes/in airports, increasing our chances of catching it.
3. Unlikely, but small chance of UK borders closing meaning we can’t get home.

The biggest thing I am worried about is something It’s tangible - quite simply, I am very nervous about this virus and just want to be close to my kids and close to home.

This is a much needed break, with some much needed fun.

Hotel agreed to offer credit note, so it’s only the flights we lose. Not exactly cheap.
What would you do?

I'd go without a doubt.

I’d go. My dh probably wouldn’t. Dsis is away at the moment - the planes were empty. She took antibacterial wipes & wiped seat arms & tray down. Cleaned her hotel room- handles etc & asked for no maid service just in case.

Yeah I'd go.

Only if we had no work to get back to and dc to look after, so I wouldn’t, I would find it hard to relax but that’s just me.

I don't think I would. I wouldn't be worried about catching the virus, but I'd be worried about getting quarantined in a hotel, having difficulties getting home etc. If I'm going to have to spend a fortnight in self isolation, I want it to be in the comfort of my own home!

I have family in Lisbon. Very few cases at the mo. They're mainly in the North of Portugal. You're more likely to catch it here.

I don't think I'd go away minus young dc, I'd go with them but be worried about being separated which could happen for more than one reason

No I wouldn’t. I would worry that the UK could go into lockdown and I wouldn’t be able to come back in for a few weeks.

Go, it's not likely that you'll catch it or that the UK will go into lockdown

We’re going to stockholm in a couple of days, booked a while ago. Definitely going, but I feel like we’re getting this trip in by the skin of our teeth and won’t be going out of the uk after this until we know what’s happening re the virus.

Go, and eat their delicious custard tarts.

If I didn’t have kids steven universe home I’d go. As you do, I wouldn’t go.

I wouldn’t go, CV cases are ramping up, quarantine risk, possibly travel disruption, not to mention mixing with thousands of people at the airports. We were due to travel next week to Spain, we have cancelled, and have lost our flights as I have an autoimmune condition so definitely not worth the risk in our circumstances. Good luck with whatever decision you make OP, the way things are going it may well be taken out of your hands.

We’ve decided to cancel. I actually feel better knowing we aren’t going, so it’s the right thing to do. I think. I am gutted but it’s the right thing.

I think if you have dependent children it's the right thing to do because of quarantine etc.

Can you go somewhere in the UK instead? Lots of nice hotels and they probably need the business too.

I think you’re wise OP

Two people I know have had issues travelling recently. One went to Rome while CV was only in northern Italy. They’re stuck there now.

Friends went to Vietnam. Two ladies on their flight lied about having been to Italy. These ladies had been to Milan and had CV. Our Friends were held in quarantine in Vietnam while being tested over a few days. Some people on their flight have indeed caught the virus from these two ladies and hospitalised in Vietnam.

I would go; it's not like there's some big outbreak in Portugal. Fewer cases than the UK, I think?

But then I've been looking for a cheap holiday and there aren't really any! I was surprised. I thought so many people would be cancelling that I could get a deal, but apparently not.

I'd go. My parents live in Lisbon (in fact one of them is back over here at the moment and I wish she weren't) and there are very few cases at the moment. You're certainly not going to catch it there and get admitted to hospital IN Portugal during your very brief stay! You won't have developed it in time. I suppose there's an outside chance you might already have it.

My main concern is travelling through the petri dish that is air travel. I'd disinfect everything and touch as little as possible, and not eat or drink while in transit (not a long flight).

Neither Portugal or the UK are likely to go into lockdown/full-on quarantine by the end of this weekend.

I’d still go, and in fact I am on Saturday, can’t wait! I don’t think the situation in Portugal or in the UK is currently severe enough that there should be too much disruption during the next week or so. It may well be a different story next month.

Having said that if I was older and/or had relevant underlying conditions I wouldn’t go.

We were planning to go next week but have cancelled and got half of our money back. Things are changing fast and although I think being stuck out there is very unlikely, I don't want to take the unnecessary risks of being at the airport.

I’m going to Portugal this weekend. It’s no more of a risk than being in London, probably less in fact!

It’s not the risk of illness - it’s the risk of getting stuck in another country potentially for weeks while your kids are at home