If Italy is in your travel plans over the next few weeks or so, you may want to consider delaying your travel — or, at least, keep yourself updated as to the latest information pertaining to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, of which at least 2,804 people have died of the minimum of 82,294 confirmed cases worldwide.
Travel Alert February 2020: Italy Now Affected by 2019 Novel Coronavirus
Of the at least 650 confirmed cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus — which is now also known as COVID-19 — in Italy, a minimum of 17 people have died, which has almost tripled in only two days; and 305 of those cases were confirmed in the city of Lombardy and the region surrounding it.
The airlines which initially issued travel waivers earlier this week for northern Italy have since expanded them for the entire country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 2 travel alert for Italy, meaning that travelers should practice enhanced precautions.
If you spent time in Italy during the past 14 days and feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing:
- Seek medical advice. Call ahead before going to the office of a doctor or emergency room. Tell them about your recent travel an area with community spread of coronavirus, and your symptoms.
- Avoid contact with others.
- Do not travel while sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve — not your hands — when coughing or sneezing.
- Clean your hands by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains between 60 percent alcohol and 95 percent alcohol immediately after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, which is located in the Hubei Province of China.
Investigations to learn more about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus continue to be ongoing in this rapidly evolving situation.
The TravelCentre of the International Air Transport Association has a comprehensive list of countries which have imposed entry restrictions as a result of the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus worldwide; and the list is updated every day.
Flight Waivers, Delays and Cancellations
If you are traveling to Italy over the next few weeks or so, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus which may adversely affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip might be a better option — no matter which mode of travel you plan on taking.
If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary.
Here are eight airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in Italy:
- American Airlines has issued travel alerts for ten airports in Italy for Thursday, February 27, 2020 through Sunday, March 15, 2020; and Friday, April 3, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Delta Air Lines has issued a travel alert for all airports in Italy for Tuesday, February 25, 2020 through Sunday, March 15, 2020; and Friday, April 3, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- United Airlines has issued travel alerts for nine airports in Italy for Thursday, February 27, 2020 through Thursday, April 30, 2020; and Tuesday, June 30, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Air France has issued a travel alert for all airports in Italy for Tuesday, February 25, 2020 through Sunday, March 15, 2020; and Friday, April 3, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has issued a travel alert for all airports in Italy for Tuesday, February 25, 2020 through Sunday, March 15, 2020; and Friday, April 3, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Iberia has issued a travel alert for all airports in Italy for Tuesday, February 25, 2020 through Sunday, March 15, 2020; and Tuesday, March 31, 2020 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Lufthansa has issued travel alerts for seven airports in Italy; and tickets may be reissued for rebooked travel, but no specific final date has been given. If you are affected, call the airline for specific information.
- easyJet has issued a travel alert for airports throughout Italy; and tickets may be reissued for rebooked travel, but no specific final date has been given. If you are affected, call the airline for specific information.
Summary
This is the last thing Italy needs after enduring the latest of a countless number of strikes today by workers during recent years.
Additional airlines may issue travel waivers to and from northern Italy as a result of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus — in addition to the airlines which have issued travel alerts to and from China as well as have issued travel alerts to and from Hong Kong, and have issued travel alerts to and from South Korea — and hundreds of hotel and resort properties have temporarily closed.
Please refer to this article pertaining to whether you should be concerned about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus — which was written on Friday, January 24, 2020 here at The Gate — for additional details and information, although some of the information is now outdated.
Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected — and please: travel safely.
All photographs ©2014 and ©2019 by Brian Cohen.
