I am leaving Friday for Vietnam. While the CDC isn't saying trips there should be cancelled, they do show that Vietnam has confirmed cases of the Coronovirus. I sure don't want to cancel, but wondering if I should be worried.

I've been mulling ideas for a return trip to Asia & have postponed indefinitely. I see no reason to tempt fate but I have no definite plans yet so not similar in that way to your situation. I suppose if I were in your shoes I'd put it off if I wouldn't lose a significant amount of money. I'm older & that's also a factor, clinging to the few precious travel years left to me & not a believer in the "at least she died doing what she loves" stupidity. I'm also a bit of a germaphobe so that comes into my thinking. In any case, I'm waiting to see how it all plays out. Tough decision for you.

MmePerdu, you put my dilemma perfectly! I did buy travel insurance, but unfortunately not the "cancel for any reason," and I don't think it will cover an epidemic, as has been discussed here on another thread. Of course, I hate to lose the money, but on the other hand, my health is more important.

When I make decisions about where to go, as often as not it comes down more to how I feel rather than the cold hard facts. And how I feel eases when I find what concerned me wasn't really an issue. In this case I'd be wondering if I'd worry the entire time. That, for me, would likely be cause to postpone.

While we all know the likelihood of contracting the virus is very remote, I'd be thinking about it anyway. For those who can put such concerns aside, great. I've gone to some remote places on my own without a thought but this, again for me & my own issues, would be a problem.

I'm leaving for Bangkok and Vietnam on March 26 and have no plans to cancel. I was in Laos, Burma and Thailand at the height of the SARS epidemic and it had no effect on us at all. We barely even thought about it.

I have to decide whether I can just not think about it!

Vietnam does not have that many cases. Even if they did however, the chances of you catching it is very remote. You are more likely to contract the flu at home, which kills way more people than either SARS or the Coronavirus. Also, the fatality rate for Coronavirus is 2.1%. It was 8.9% for SARS.

I've traveled extensively in Asia & was also there for months during SARS, temperature takers in airports. I'm not a worrier in general but since I haven't booked anything it's easy, wait & see. Really, nothing we say matters anyway, it's simply will you enjoy yourself. I know what's likely to bother me, you know what'll bother you.

I agree MmePerdu, I may have waited too but this trip was booked months ago and there is no way DH and I are not going. I'm not a worrier either and the only way I would cancel is if people started dropping like flies while walking down the street.

That is the dilemma, isn't it? I'm sorry you are facing this choice, but IF you go (no advice from me about such a personal choice!), I sincerely hope that taking reasonable precautions (e.g., lots of handwashing) allows you to truly enjoy yourself. Do keep us posted on your decision!

I would also note that insofar as I can tell, neither the CDC and WHO have been able to make firm conclusions about infection rates or mortality rates -- reliable data have been too limited to date to allow such conclusions. Of course, anecdotes ("I faced a similar situation without difficulty") prove nothing.

Yes we did. We plan and have all for 2021 and we decided to wait. We dont need to take any risk. We are old people. I will wait for the erradication of the virus.

I'm not generally a worrier either, but also not exactly young. Am leaning towards going.
I'm sure I'll be washing my hands a lot if I go!

It is clearly a very personal decision depending upon ones attitude to risk. I tend not to worry about these things and view what I see in the media with a degree of skepticism as the reality on the ground is usually vastly different from what I shown in the media. I think it is important to keep some perspective on the Coronavirus outbreak. There are virus outbreaks all around the world and, although I am not a doctor, my understanding is that the corona virus has about the same incidence of death or serious complication as "normal" influenza which is all over the world, especially in the northern hemisphere winter. In that respect, it is probably as "dangerous" to stay at home as it is to travel.

Whilst I have no intention of visiting China ( mainly for reasons other than the virus), I would have no hesitation in visiting VIetnam, Japan or probably most other places in the Far East. Indeed, I have been keeping an watch our for flight bargains with a view to taking a quick trip to Vietnam but the bargains I anticipated have not (yet) materialised. A similar situation with regard to hotel prices. Speaking to friend in Vietnam at the moment, life goes on as normal, but with far fewer Chinese tour groups crowding the sights.

As the incidence of death or other complications is vastly higher for the elderly, or those with compromised immune systems, if I fell into that group I might have a different attitude. The same if I had young children who clearly lack the ability to make an informed choice.

My own travel insurance provides cover for medical treatment, cancellation, repatriation should that be necessary unless there is a government travel advisory in place BEFORE I depart. So it would cover me for Vietnam for any reason but not if I least for china tomorrow.

crellston, you're right, I probably have a bigger chance of catching the flu if I stay home. I am going to go for it! Thanks to all for the input.

SusanP, enjoy your trip! Once on the ground, you probably won't give the virus a second thought.

Thanks! I'm not going to let it ruin my trip.

Have a great time on your trip SusanP.

Looking at the current outbreak of the coronavirus, it is safe to avoid traveling to Asia altogether.

Too cryptic for me!

Thanks, crellston. Everything I've read indicates that it is extremely unlikely that I'll catch it.