menachem

Don't travel by plane, for the time being, could be a response perhaps.

OReilly64

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...cid=spartanntp

kerouac

kleeblatt

SBB trains are still running through Italy...for the time being. Meanwhile, Switzerland is struggling with the Coronavirus as most companies have suspended any business travel and many employees have been asked to work from home. However, walking through Zürich yesterday, the city felt virus-free as people were laughing and enjoying the day. I saw very few masks but there weren't any crowd conditions either. Trains were full (as they usually are) simply because people still need to live their lives.

kleeblatt

Imagine, Italy has quarantined 16 million people.

Traveler_Nick

Italian trains are still running. Why wouldn't the Swiss ?

Lois2

Bottom line given this is a forum primarily for travel advice...the advice is clear...not a time to travel to Italy. They are working full time to try to halt the spread and tourists coming in won't help them or wherever the tourists are coming from....here in US a high % of the cases are traced to just a few sources (at least last week things will change) 1. cruises 2. travel to Italy/Iran/Asia and 3. nursing homes. Our vacations can wait..

Lois2

from the Guardian: "The number of deaths from coronavirus in Italy has risen from 233 on Saturday to 366, officials have said. The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 7,375 - up from 5,883 on Saturday.'

neckervd

Official figures published 1 hr ago:

INFECTED PEOPLE PER REGION (official statistics = tip of the Iceberg NOT rounded numbers):

Lombardy:3372
Emilia-Romagna, Marche : 1362
Veneto, Venezia Giulia, Alto Adige (Dolomites):708
Piemonte, Liguria (5Terre), Aosta: 431
Tuscany, Umbria: 191
Campania (Naples, Amalfi): 100
Lazio (Rome) and Vatican: 81
oltre Eboli:80
SICILY: 51

joto

DD, in the Milan area called today. Everything still ok in their small town, but she doesn't think that will last. The local supermarket was letting people in, one at a time, with about 3-5 minutes between each person. She gave a couple of masks that I sent her to a friend that works on the trams in Milan, because they are not being issued with any protection. Another friend works in one of the major hospitals there, in patient care, and is working all the hours round the clock. DD is concerned for her MIL, who is over 80 but is in reasonably good health. The GC are getting lessons over the internet for school. She is working from home and her DH will probably start doing that, this week. She said they are all getting a little bit of cabin fever, even the dog, as he can't really go out for his usual long walks, and they have to try and avoid others taking their dog for walks. We are a little bit worried for them, but DD has a handle on their needs for now.

BCNLucca

As the Fodor article said check the WHO website. You can also go to https://www.worldometers.info/corona...-demographics/ for more info than you need.

Beyond the stats, anyone who gets on a plane, spends time in crowded airports standing within inches of others in security and immigration lines is a fool. Not only is the virus transmitted via coughing and sneezing but it carried on breathe. As one WHO official stated, "if you are close enough to smell what someone had for lunch while chatting, then you are close enough to the virus."
The dramatic increases we have seen in so many places...doubling in a day or two and these increases are in the THOUSANDS, not single digits.
Perhaps you received an email from United where it outlined what it is doing to disinfect planes between flights and other precautions. Well, you are putting your health and perhaps your life into the hands of total strangers. And all for what? A vacation? A business trip? Starting a new job or university studies? This is one of those extraordinary situations that you can postpone. Only you can keep yourself safe.
I encourage you to deeply read the WHO site and the one I put above.
Stay safe

lauramsgarden

MMe Perdue, travel safely, have a wonderful time and come home healthy , and Neckervd, thank you for the updates - it perhaps helps the reality of it all to set in. Just learned that it is in the community I used to live in, and near where our sons live. An elderly relative believes she may have it. These are hard times, especially for those who won't get pay if they get sick and don't have health insurance. Although there are no cases here, we are wondering about the wisdom of cancelling a small conference we are organizing this month. Decision making is hard without solid info.

annhig

enjoy your trip, Mme P.

joto - someone just posted on FB what are supposedly pictures taken last night of people, mainly the young, partying in Rome and Bari, and crowds of skiers gathering in large numbers outside mountain restaurants. Clearly not everyone in Italy is taking this as seriously as your DD and others. The strain on the medical staff is quite severe. Here in the UK they want retired medical staff to volunteer to help out which is really a bit rich when they are likely to be amongst the most at risk. I hope that your DD and the rest of the family continue to cope as well as possible.

Lois2

per many videos and reports the latest crack down in Milan is not really being enforce which has been true all over Italy and now government is close to imposing something like marshall law if citizens don't comply. Prisons are in riot mode with many escaping. If you can cancel your trip (ie it has not been cancelled for you) then seriously consider it. Bad times in Italy.

menachem

there's a lot of disinformation around.

bvlenci

Since Rome and Bari had few cases so far, that's not terribly shocking. The province of Rome has 91 cases today, of a population of 3 million. The province of Bari has 6 cases. I don't know when the pictures were taken. The students have no classes, and minimal risk of encountering a contagion, and when I was young, that would have been reason for a party. However, in the past two days, attitudes are getting more serious.

All ski slopes have been closed as of today.

Also, the rate of increase of the contagion in Italy seems to be leveling off. You can't really consider the numerical increase in the number of cases. You need to look at the percentage increase of new contagions over the cumulative number of contagions the day before.

menachem

All of Italy is now closed off, not only Lombardy

Lois2

"Also, the rate of increase of the contagion in Italy seems to be leveling off. You can't really consider the numerical increase in the number of cases. You need to look at the percentage increase of new contagions over the cumulative number of contagions the day before.[/QUOTE]"

not sure where you got that info almost 1800 new cases in Italy in last 24 hours...now ENTIRE country is under quarantine. Time is sort of over to keep trying to put a positive spin on this crisis...no misinformation...check it out. Anyone with trips planned for the next month need to see about cancelling. I think US to Rome flights will be gone soon given this latest news.
"

menachem

"

not sure where you got that info almost 1800 new cases in Italy in last 24 hours...now ENTIRE country is under quarantine. Time is sort of over to keep trying to put a positive spin on this crisis...no misinformation...check it out. Anyone with trips planned for the next month need to see about cancelling. I think US to Rome flights will be gone soon given this latest news.
"[/QUOTE]
I would say, this goes for all elective (air) travel. On the dutch map, you can see the virus spreading around and from major public transport hubs.

Sue_xx_yy

Bvlenci, it's a pity they don't publish the percentage change. I sincerely hope it is leveling off.

My sympathies for everyone who's had to cancel travel plans. But Europe will still be there for you to return to it.