Why I reconsider trip plan?

March 9th at 15:30 (3:30pm)

As I was waiting for the bus home, I checked on my upcoming Singaporean trip via email, and the airline was notified me regarding cancellations and refunds. Checking the news, I saw about Coronavirus cases drastically increasing in Pennsylvania. Yep, there are new cases every single day around the world, and it is crazy, despite the effort to combine under control. I worked hard to provide information on how to prepare for the worst, how to stay safe, and how to overcome the health crisis.

Checking on Transportation App, I realized that the bus is coming very soon. I am away from other people, 6 feet away. I used my bottle of hand sanitizer when I an ready to board the bus. I tend to hold my SEPTA Key with a plastic cover to protect the card. The bus was full of crowded (school kids). They exited the bus. Then I boarded the bus, tap onto the fare validation, sat down on the back of the bus (limit touching the bus poles), saw two passengers (all women) were coughing hard (maybe?). They were well prepared; they brought a pack of tissue to cover their cough and a bottle of hand sanitizer.

• Both women have mild symptoms of flu-like symptoms.
• As the bus departed, I was thinking of writing more travel restrictions.

Thus, my upcoming travel plans, both domestic and international, had postponed due to Coronavirus.

As the Coronavirus gets along the way, the whole community (such in Philadelphia) had put on temporary lockdown on travel for about two weeks, but it may extend. Also, the non-essential outlets, retail stores, shopping malls, restaurants, bars, and entertainment places have closed its doors due to the outbreak. Universities, schools, government buildings, and non-essential places have also closed to protect the citizens from contacting with someone.

Only outlets and stores are legally allowed to open for business includes grocery stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, warehouse stores, banks, farmer’s markets, post offices, convenience stores, doctor’s offices, any stores, or businesses that are essentials.

How about the places in Philadelphia and out of town? Will your upcoming trip gets canceled or postponed?

I have some places coming up, such as the Philadelphia Travel Show originally on March 14th and 15th (postponed due to Coronavirus).

I have an upcoming plan to visit NYC to climb up the new observatory (The edge). I also plan to visit the Intrepid Museum to see Concorde. I have a dream of getting on a Concorde and experience what it was like to fly on one.

I also plan a day trip to Atlantic City to see the mall like outside before (Tropicana) but also postponed.

I also plan a day trip to the Museum of the Bible with my family in Washington this summer but also postponed to October.

For NYC Trip, my trip was initially on March 22 and 23 but postponed in late September to early October, and the MegaBus have received the notice regarding the deadly Coronavirus. It states:

I am reminding travelers to postpone travel plans to protect from getting infected. Right now, the world travel advisory has set to Level 4 – Do Not Travel, meaning that travelers should avoid all travel, both domestic and international. For average travelers (like other travel bloggers and me), please wait until the virus epidemic is over. Safety and health are the most priority.

Don’t worry, travelers. The Coronavirus outbreak and travel advisory may last only a temporary. No need to cry or get upset. It is just an advisory regarding travelers about COVID – 19.

And no need to panic! Both CDC, WHO, and the government work hard to reduce the risk of spreading diseases. Washington Post Stevens illustrates how travel restrictions occur for every 4 simulations relating to either social or no social distancing. Out of 4 simulations, there are 4 different outcomes below. Our goal for the overcoming is a graph a flattering curve (fewer people infected) rather than the narrow curve (more people infected), making fewer people pone to get infected even less (Stevens, 2020). The prevention one out of 4 simulations includes:

• Free-for-all
  • 98% infected; 90% recovered
  • No travel restrictions, not taking actions, no social distancing
• Attempted Quarantine 
  • 60% infected; 97% recovered
  • Travel restrictions, the lockdown of the entire place, no social distancing
• Moderate Distancing
  • 40% infected; 65% recovered
  • Events canceled, avoidance of public gatherings and crowds, tourism and non-essential business closed, distance of 6+ feet from people
• Extensive Distancing
  • 10% infected; 14% recovered
  • Stay-at-home order, limit public transportation, distance of 6+ feet from people

Key:

• Light Blue = Healthy Population
• Brown = Infected Population (COVID-19 cases)
• Purple = Recovered Population (closed cases)

The results will change from time to time.

In conclusion, CDC, WHO, and the government have worked hard to implement an Extensive Distancing method to slow the spread of infections.

It will pass away.

Even SEPTA has decreased in passenger demand due to Coronavirus. SEPTA has started to refund partially used Weekly and Monthly Transpass or equivalent.

To combine with increasing new cases, public transportation will run on a weekend schedule. For example, in Philadelphia, SEPTA will run on a Saturday Schedule starting this weekend until further notice.

I think that the strategy to combine Coronavirus is beneficial in keeping the community safe and healthy because social distancing and practicing good hygiene are a recommended way. Public transportation can be a wrong place to practice social distancing because you don’t know if a person was sitting in front or behind me (how close to too close). Maybe 3 feet, perhaps 2 feet from me? Planes and trains are also the wrong places to practice social distancing too. You are sitting next to an infected person who is 2 feet away, and there is no choice to give safety space. Don’t ride on airplanes or buses until the COVID-19 is over!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends Social Distancing of 6+ feet from the people as an effective way to slow the spread of disease and 3+ from the people who are sneezing, coughing, talking, etc.

I love to ride on buses, planes, trains, etc. Sorry travelers, you should deal with this for a while.

What about your upcoming travel to domestic and international places? Will your forthcoming trip gets canceled or postponed? What should travelers do to protect themselves?

It is important to reconsider travel even though I still believe in travel, tourism, and MileagePlus program junkies. There are numerous ways to deal with travel restrictions, and things will go away soon if they follow the state department. Also, the government requires travelers to self-quarantine at home for 14 days (if traveled abroad), sometimes longer.

Intuitively, I originally planned to travel to Singapore, Sydney, Auckland, and parts of Europe (in September for solo travel), but these dates of travel have postponed to 2021 or 2022 due to Coronavirus. The new dates of travel are yet to schedule because we still don’t know when it will ends.

I am dealing with the changes in daily life, canceling my original flight (Newark to Singapore on United) and rebook my future trips. Even travel demand has drastically dipped to the bottom.

That’s right, my parents have told me not to travel (especially solo) right now because of the health epidemic. But they did not tell me, “don’t travel solo,” depending on where I am heading. They are neither overprotective nor strict, but the free-range, loving parenting. They want us to stay safe, limit outside of the neighborhood, stay home, and have fun.

Recently, I went on Instagram, and one solo travel blogger got tested for positive while traveling abroad. I will say “don’t travel” right as the travel celebrities have tested for positive.

Another travel blogger tended to stay at home and watch the movie and had fun. I am doing these fun things too to keep me occupied.

What is your conclusion besides travel? How do you stay safe from spreading the disease?

I think travelers must reconsider travel plans (Especially Travel Level 4), extensive distancing, limit non-essential movements, and stay home whenever possible helps to limit the spread of disease, especially COVID-19. If you are sick, stay home and call the doctor before you visit because sometimes, you may be on the waitlist of who’s going to see them.

There is an excellent way to get through tough times. Here is my blog I posted if you have any things you want to do here.

You don’t want to overact or panic when there are intuitive events such as grocery shortages, or essential needs. You can still shop online and have your groceries or essential items delivered at your home. No panic, no stress, just deal with it.

We hope the Coronavirus will be over soon.

Reference:

Stevens, H. (2020, March 14). Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve.” Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/