I'm going to Greece on Monday ...still safe?

[beetroottt]

I'm going on holiday on Monday to Crete.
Do you think it's still "safe" to go?
I've heard mixed messages about possible lockdowns etc

@BoxhillBertha

I cannot believe planes are healthy places to be! Surely being in small enclosed space with lots of randomers and recirculated air isn't great?

You should definitely tell the WHO that!

Just because she wants to go doesn't mean it's a good idea to go....has she spoken to doctor, checked her travel insurance?

It's a big responsibility for your bf and you as if she gets ill you'll be doing all the legwork..,

Personally I wouldn't go, if she wants to that's up to her and if your BF wants to that's up to him.., I would suggest somewhere U.K. but if they are set on it they can go without you ... much as I love to travel and like Crete...

@Ullupullu I mean dettol style wipes.
The risk from hard surfaces transmission is quite low anyway in my view.

Greece still has far fewer cases currently than the UK. That said almost half of recently diagnosed cases in southern Italy have been traced to holidaymakers returning from the Greek islands.
I'd be concerned in case the govt dropped quarantine on me overnight, but you're still statistically more likely to meet someone with Covid in the UK than in Greece, even though they have been transparent and advised of a second wave.

I don't know what's worse. Travelling during a pandemic or holidaying with a partner's mum. To do both is madness. OP I wish you strength, it all sounds a recipe for disaster.

I would go but I wouldn’t take my shielding parents. That would worry me. And reading the latest Greek government guidance - they are asking for negative test results from Belgium, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands. Not the U.K. So the cook should take her nationalistic judgments elsewhere!

Just come back from a different island. The Greeks believe there will likely be some kind of lockdown in 2-3 weeks but it is likely to be regional. There have been outbreaks but these appear to be related to events like weddings and parties so I don’t think that would be too much of an issue. We were very nervous about travel but all you can do is be conscious about what you touch, wash hands avoid face etc and shower as soon as you reach destination. If it helps there were elderly and less abled people flying on our plane and on the return flight it was only half full.
My experience of Greek hospitals is excellent (and that was the public hospital)

@beetroottt OP I hope you have a great time on your holiday! The Greek City Times is a good english language greek newspaper website to keep an eye on. We went to Barcelona just before cases went up and the flying is as socially distanced as the airline can make it. They'll board from the back and then disembark about 4 rows at a time from the front. You're told not to queue for the loo (ppl on our flight were being very sensible about getting up one at a time). I would say take plenty of masks in your hand luggage, hand sanitizer and I also took Dettol wipes which we used on the cases when we got them back. One bright side of travelling as a group of 3 you'll get a row to yourself!
Do as much as you can to observe social distancing and you'll most likely have a wonderful time.

@ScorpioSphinxInACalicoDress - "statistically" you're incorrect, Greece has only just over 10m people.

Greece still has far fewer cases currently than the UK

Yes that is definitely accurate. UK has far more cases. The issue is not the number of cases in each country, it is the lack of medical capacity. The islands have almost no ICU beds (some have none) If they are hit by a virus wave, even moderate one they will be in big trouble, but they have very little choice because tourism is a primary source of income for most places, and their economy is in no fit state to be mothballed for a whole season, so they have no choice but to risk it.

I adore Greece, under normal circumstances I would be encouraging you to go, but in your situation - and the current pandemic, how can anyone do so in good faith.

Antibacterial wipes and antibacterial hand sanitiser do work against covid due to the structure of it.

Nowhere is 'safe.' Wrong terminology but I would not travel anywhere at the moment.

I'd go in a heartbeat if I had a holiday booked. Life is for living and it may be a long winter if infection rates rise and we have more restrictions.

My friend who is a hospital doctor in a major London hospital and has been dealing with Covid is currently on a 2 week holiday to Greece and having a lovely time.

Antibacterial wipes and antibacterial hand sanitiser do work against covid due to the structure of it

That depends. If they contain a high percentage of alcohol, then they will.

Isn't it thinks like triclosan which make no difference?

Things have changed in Greece over the last 48 hours and further restrictions have been put in place in different regions. Inevitably, the growing number of tourists has introduced a new wave to the country. I would keep an eye on government updates concerning Crete and have good insurance. Greek hospitals can be great but they can also be quite awful. It really depends on where you are and what is local to you. Take cautions, wear masks and keep to social distancing.

Antibacterial wipes and antibacterial hand sanitiser do work against covid due to the structure of it.

Corona virus is a virus, not a bacterial infection. Unless the antibac wipes/gel contains a minimum of 60% alcohol or they state that they are effective against covid-19 they won't be very effective.

@beetroottt are you 100% certain that your partner's mum has a watertight insurance policy that covers her COPD?

My mum had COPD so I am sadly all too familiar with how it presents. What would happen if your partner's mum had breathing issues on arrival at the airport? Would they allow her on the plane? What if she had an episode on the plane and was not allowed to get off at Heraklion?

She sounds stubborn, but this will impact on your holiday massively should anything untoward happen.

This is really difficult. I'm so sorry you're in this position and understand why your MIL wants to go. However, I think the potential consequences of her ending up in hospital wouldn't just be catastrophic for her but for you and your boyfriend. My grandfather had COPD and when he got a flu-like bug he went from being reasonably well day-to-day to in hospital for weeks and in constant distress from his breathing difficulties. I really don't like to think about what that would have been like for him in a country far from home without necessarily the same medical care he had to keep him somewhat comfortable. If that happened to your MIL out there, I can't imagine you would just fly home and leave her. I'm not saying that I think she's more likely to catch it in Greece, but that the consequences of her catching it in Greece are really dreadful.

I wouldn’t go if I were your partner’s mum - but I realise this isn’t the question you’re asking.

She does need to triple check her travel insurance and make sure she has declared all her pre existing medical conditions and that she is covered for illnesses arising from pre existing conditions and covid whilst she’s away. If she hasn’t been given a sizeable premium for that I’d be really surprised and wonder if she’s declared everything.

Like PP, I'd want to know about her insurance as well. I'd be surprised if it cost less than the holiday for someone with her condition

Ask her about her insurance, see what it covers in the event of her death. It's possible repatriation isn't covered anymore because of CV19. She'd have to be happy with her remains being 'processed' there.

Sorry to sound dramatic, but it's a big deal. She is a traveller with higher risks than most. Her death could cause you major practical and financial problems on top of the grief.
Don't be the go fund me 'I didn't think I needed insurance' people.

I would think that travel insurance during a pandemic for someone with COPD would be prohibitively expensive. And if she hadn't declared a previously existing condition it would be invalid anyway.

Can you tell I am risk averse

We are probably more doomed by people making up their own arguments so they can swoop in all holier than thou to admonish people like a bunch of latter day Cromwells

Not at all. It’s the inability of idiots to manage risk appropriately that is the issue. The first stage in doing so is identifying the risk.

Only an idiot would claim it is safer to travel than stay at home and the fact that you use your having been away and are fine as evidence of that position is the very definition of a made up argument

OP I’m pretty risk tolerant - I’ve had two (local ish) hotel stays and a week in rented house with another family but there is no way I’d travel to Greece - or any other country on the cusp of a second wave - and I’m healthy with no issues about work if I needed to quarantine

I follow the WHO on instagram and they had a post about travel with underlying health conditions recently. Essentially it was only do it if it is completely unavoidable. I don’t think anyone with COPD should be travelling abroad at the moment.

I have a toddler with a respiratory condition that makes him prone to respiratory infections. There’s no way I would take him abroad at the moment.

Greece is heading for a lockdown. You risk being put into quarantine when you arrive. I think you’re mad-especially with a very unwell MiL.

Blue25 what evidence do you have that Greece is heading for a lockdown?