Advertisement

Is It Safe to Travel to Europe Amid the Coronavirus Outbreak? Experts Weigh In

The deadly coronavirus (officially termed COVID-19) has been rapidly spreading through mainland China and other parts of Asia over the last month. But in the past week, a number of new cases have emerged far from the outbreak’s epicenter, in countries including Italy, South Korea and Iran.

In a little over seven days, Italy went from having just three confirmed cases of coronavirus to 1,577 cases as of Monday, March 2. They’re largely centered in the northern Lombardy region, which contains the major manufacturing city and tourist hub of Milan.

New cases of COVID-19 have been reported in several other European Union countries: Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece and Spain, according to The New York Times.

As the threat in popular vacation destinations for Americans continues to grow, PEOPLE spoke to a travel expert about the safety of visiting Europe in the midst of the crisis, and what tourists should know.

RELATED: What to Know About the Mysterious Coronavirus Spreading in Asia — and How to Protect Yourself

Stefania D'Alessandro/Getty
Stefania D'Alessandro/Getty

What should you know if you have plans to travel to Europe this spring?

The decision to travel amid the outbreak is not an easy one to make, and should be taken seriously, especially if you or your vacation companions are pregnant, elderly, or suffer from conditions that may impact the immune system.

If you do have upcoming travel plans, Stewart suggests purchasing travel insurance now, or as far in advance as you can. “Specifically, a cancel-for-any-reason policy,” Tracy Stewart, Content Editor at Airfarewatchdog.com, told PEOPLE on Wednesday.

Unfortunately, without travel insurance, it may be difficult to get your money back if you do choose to cancel your trip. Airlines’ refund policies are inconsistent, and may very by route. Some carriers, like JetBlue, are currently allowing passengers to rebook for a later date without penalty.

Yichuan Cao/NurPhoto via Getty
Yichuan Cao/NurPhoto via Getty

Should you immediately cancel your travel plans?

“The decision to travel is a personal choice,” says Stewart, who encourages travelers to make an informed decision by staying up-to-date on the virus via official sources like the CDC.

It is important to remain calm and level-headed, and when in doubt, take extra precautions and stay safe.

RELATED: All Major U.S. Airlines Have Now Suspended Flights to China Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Is there a way you can stay safe while traveling?

The majority of coronavirus cases are in mainland China, spreading outward from Hubei province, the epicenter of the disease. As of March 2, there have been nearly 90,000 cases and 3,000 deaths worldwide.

Regardless of whether you’re traveling or staying home, there are a few basic practices to remember, including avoiding people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes and/or nose, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and staying home if you yourself feel ill.

Be cautious of your surroundings, and wash your hands frequently.

Should you wear a face mask while traveling?

Despite many celebrities recently documenting their face masks while traveling, right now the CDC is not suggesting them to people who are not sick.

Gwyneth Paltrow/Instagram; Kate Hudson/Instagram
Gwyneth Paltrow/Instagram; Kate Hudson/Instagram

“While it is cold and flu season, we don’t routinely recommend the use of face masks in the general public to prevent respiratory illness, and we certainly are not recommending that at this time for this new virus,” said Dr. Nancy Messonier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC in a press briefing.

In what areas of the world is the coronavirus currently found?

On Feb. 22, Italy, South Korea and Iran reported an alarming number of infected citizens, totaling in the hundreds. Prior to that, the vast majority of new coronavirus cases had occurred in mainland China.

As of Wednesday, the U.S. has had 53 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Of those, 12 cases occurred in people who recently returned from trips to China before news of the outbreak spread. In two cases, the illness was contracted from close contact with an infected individual.

The remaining 39 cases were people who were brought back to the U.S. by the Department of State, either on one of the three chartered flights of Americans who had been living in China, or from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that had been quarantined off the coast of Yokohama, Japan.

The total number of cases globally has reached 80,980, with nearly 3,000 deaths, according to Times.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK