6 questions to help you decide if you should cancel your trip because of the coronavirus

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6 questions to help you decide if you should cancel your trip because of the coronavirus
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Kate Taylor/Business Insider

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Traveling in Asia has been pretty great in my experience. But, I ask people six questions to help decide if they should cancel their own trips due to coronavirus concerns.

I keep getting emails asking the same question: "Should I cancel my trip to Asia?"

People want my take because I've been traveling in Asia for more than a month, visiting South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.

I have never been seriously concerned about getting the coronavirus while traveling. However, when asked if others should cancel their trips, my response tends to be asking more questions.

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Often the person is planning to travel to a country with few or no reported cases of coronavirus that the Centers of Diseases Control and Prevention have currently cleared for travel. Statistically, they're extremely unlikely to get the coronavirus.

But, especially in the last week, there have been some complicating factors. After weeks of almost all new cases being in China, South Korea now has more than 3,500 confirmed cases and Italy has more than 1,100 as of Monday. More workplaces are adding mandatory self-quarantines. President Trump has hinted at plans to expand travel restrictions.

You are still incredibly unlikely to get coronavirus while traveling in Asia. I can say that, on the ground, I have felt far less anxious about getting sick than people I have talked to back in the US. Most other travelers I've spoken with in Vietnam and Thailand have similarly felt that it was not worth canceling a trip due to the extremely low chance of catching the coronavirus.

However, other people I have spoken with - including one of my own travel partners - have decided that they need to cancel their trips. And, I understand why that might be the right decision.

Here is a list of questions to ask yourself to figure out if you should cancel your trip or go ahead with travel to Asia.

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What does the CDC say?

What does the CDC say?

The most obvious answer to the question is, if the CDC says don't go there, don't visit. Currently, the CDC is only warning travelers to avoid or practice enhanced precautions in five countries: China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, or Japan.

If your trip is a vacation to one of these five countries, I would consider cancelling or postponing.

Japan is only a level two, which means that the CDC says to practice enhanced precautions. If you have health concerns, you should consider canceling your trip to Japan. And, if you are young and healthy, remember that the situation can change (positively or negatively) very quickly.

As for every other country, you're almost definitely not going to get coronavirus if you visit.

"The risk to people traveling is actually very small outside the counties where there have been big numbers of cases," Dr. Shanthi Kappagoda, infectious disease physician at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California, told the Wall Street Journal.

Do you have any urgent plans immediately after your trip?

Do you have any urgent plans immediately after your trip?

If you're planning to visit Thailand to relax before the biggest presentation of your career, I would probably cancel the trip. I personally feel blissed out blogging from Koh Lanta, but when my roommate decided against joining me, I also completely understood.

Companies like Apple and Amazon are restricting travel and having employees self-quarantine when returning from China and other countries. With new regions reporting hundreds of cases, it is likely that more countries could be added to quarantine lists.

President Trump has also hinted that he may consider new travel bans, which could make getting back into the US difficult — especially since some potential restrictions, like those targeting Mexico, do not seem tied to the number of coronavirus cases in the country.

Even if the US does not quarantine travelers, your work might. If you have an important work event or are serving as the maid of honor in your sister's wedding, it's probably a good idea to avoid traveling internationally where there are any coronavirus concerns.

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Are you going on a cruise?

Are you going on a cruise?

If so, cancel it. The CDC is encouraging travelers to reconsider all travel on cruise ships in Asia.

You're probably not going to catch coronavirus on a cruise ship in other parts of the world. However, after traveling in countries impacted by the coronavirus, I would still consider canceling your trip.

More than anything, coronavirus concerns have convinced me that being flexible is key to avoiding getting stuck in a bad situation. Iran and Italy both have reported hundreds of cases, making it clear that the coronavirus is not restricted to Asia.

Cruises remove your ability to make independent decisions, instead of locking you in an enclosed space with hundreds of other people. As seen in the Diamond Princess cruise, that is not somewhere you want to be when an epidemic breaks out.

Will you be able to unplug and enjoy yourself?

Will you be able to unplug and enjoy yourself?

I think this is the most important question, and it's one you have to answer for yourself.

If the country you are visiting does not have a CDC warning, you are extremely unlikely to catch the coronavirus. But, if you're someone who is going to spend the entire trip worried about getting sick, you should probably cancel anyway.

Spending a week of vacation checking the news for coronavirus updates and freaking out every time new cases are reported isn't the relaxing, enjoyable time you probably pictured for a week of vacation.

If you want to travel, commit to avoiding deep dives into coronavirus updates. Check-in once or twice a day, focusing on where you are visiting and any updates that could influence your plans. Then, ditch your phone and actually enjoy your vacation!

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How flexible are your plans?

How flexible are your plans?

I can tell you everything that experts are saying and spell out every coronavirus-related decision I've made, but at the end of the day, no one knows what is going to happen next.

For example, few people would have even thought of visiting Italy as a risky move for most of February. Then, in a matter of days, the CDC was advising completely avoiding the country.

If you have a big international trip planned, you're going to have to be a bit more flexible than usual.

If you're planning to visit multiple countries, one region might end up being struck from the itinerary last minute. And, if you have any aspects of the trip set-in-stone, such as multi-day boat trips or expensive stays at a villa, I would double-check and see what is refundable and what isn't before you leave.

Can you get refunds?

Can you get refunds?

If you're planning to visit South Korea and can't get a refund, you should still cancel the trip.

But, if you're trying to decide if you're going to be too anxious to enjoy a vacation to Cambodia, check and see what refunds you can get. If it's easy to get your money back and you know you won't enjoy the trip to its full potential, it may be worth saving till next year. Here's a good guide to figuring out refunds.

Checking refunds is also a good way to check in with how worried you are.

Are you relieved when you see you can get a full refund on a flight, or are you sad because you have an excuse not to go on the trip?

If you're more relieved than sad, then it might be time to cancel the flight. But, if finding refunds leaves you feeling nothing but depressed, don't cancel the trip!

Again, you have a very low chance of catching the coronavirus in most countries. Plus, if you still decide to travel, it's way less crowded — and that means there's a potential for some great deals.

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