GO OR CANCEL? HOW TO DECIDE
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF AMID CORONAVIRUS FEARS
ONE OF THE more difficult decisions a traveler must make is when to call it a day and cancel a trip.
It’s more fraught if the unknown factor is a virus that seems to be complicating every aspect of travel.
Here is a checklist to help you reach what you might consider a solid decision:
What is your risk tolerance?
Be honest. When we are younger, we think we are invincible. As we grow older, we know we are not. Whenever you travel, you put yourself at risk, especially if it involves a public conveyance.
Follow-up question: If you have a low risk tolerance, are you going to be OK outside your comfort zone?
How do you react if/when things go wrong?
You may be cucumber cool or you may be a basket case or you could be somewhere in the middle. But people who react badly to the unexpected may find their ability to withstand it at a rock-bottom low.
If you were quarantined, could you stand it?
The idea of being unable to control your environment may be overwhelming.
Follow-up question: If you were quarantined with a spouse, a family member or a friend, could you stand it or that person for a prolonged period?
Does your company care whether you leave and don’t return for a long time?
Tommy Weir, chief executive of tech company Enaible, canceled a f light because of the coronavirus scare — not because he was afraid of getting sick but because of potential travel restrictions that might keep him from returning to the United States.
“If there is a risk of not making my next connection, I’m much more hesitant to take a trip,” he wrote in an email. Follow up question: Can you work remotely?
Are you willing to invest the time to research and keep tabs on an ever-changing story?
If you don’t want to, no shame in saying no.
Follow-up question: Are you looking at credible sources or reacting to social media? If the latter, switch to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coronavirus site, especially, Godlin said, the heat map. In just a week, the map has changed from a status of “risk of limited community transmission” to dark patches spreading across Asia, Australia, the U.S. and Latin America, indicating confirmed cases.
Is there another time you can go?
Postponing doesn’t mean not going; it just means putting it off and hoping things improve.
Follow-up question: Are you reluctant to change your plans because it’s a hassle?
Are you reluctant to cancel because you’ll lose your vacation investment?
If yes, consider what you
value in the words of old western movies: your money or your life. But also check with your travel provider because many are now more f lexible about change fees and cancellation penalties.
Follow-up question: Will insurance cover you? It might cover some things, but here’s the rub; Coronavirus is now a known threat. If you buy a policy now, you probably won’t be covered if conditions get worse and you want to cancel. The only policy that will cover you is “cancel for any reason” insurance.
That’s because most insurance covers you only for what has happened, not what might happen. The beauty of CFAR is that you get some (not all) of your money back if you decide you are afraid, don’t have the right wardrobe, find out that the Louvre is closed — whatever it happens to be. Its only downside: You recoup 75% (or less) or your trip cost and will pay more for the coverage.
How old are you and how’s your health?
Viruses tend to take a largerthan-average toll on those who are very young and very old. Likewise, a compromised immune system can place you at greater risk.
Follow-up question: If you become ill abroad, are you insured ? If you use Medicare, you generally are not covered overseas. Some types of health insurance do not apply abroad.
Are you dutiful about washing your hands, keeping your hands away from your face and giving people plenty of personal space?
If you’ve answered no, you’re putting yourself at risk, whether you are in the Himalayas or your hometown.
So based on all these questions, can you tell me whether it’s OK for me to go?
No. Only you can do that.