Mexican vacations and the Swine Flu

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past three days, you have been hearing report after report of this so-called Swine Flu.

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and the White House have issued a public health emergency in regards to recent outbreak of the Swine Flu. While the State Department (as of this writing) has not issued a travel alert or warning for travel to Mexico based on the recent outbreaks, travelers need to be aware that they could, and plan accordingly.

The media is doing their job getting the word out--perhaps a bit too vigorously. I am not suggesting that travel to Mexico is a good thing right now, but taking a step back and assesing the situation is.

If you are planning a trip to Mexico in the future:

• Most airlines are allowing you to make changes to your reservation penalty free.
• Most packaged tour operators are waiving penalties as well and rebooking clients to different destinations.

If your travel to Mexico is imminent and you wish to cancel:

• Check with your tour operator or airline to see if they will allow for a refund. Some may, and some may not. You may end up with vouchers instead of money or a credit to your credit card.
• If you have travel insurance and it was purchased PRIOR to the outbreak being known, your travel insurance company ought to cover your losses.

If your travel to Mexico is imminent and you must continue:

• Make sure you register your trip with the US Embassy once you arrive in Mexico
• Invest in disposable surgical masks
• Use common sense (see below)

In speaking with WBAL-TV, this afternoon for a segment to air tonight (April 27, 2009), I stressed that the impact of the flu will be felt for a long time, but the immediate impact on immediate travel will likely be short lived, similar to a hurricane. Once everyone makes their decisions and changes, the frenzy should die down, but not necessarily the threat.

If you have questions, your best resource will be the travel professional who booked your trip. If you booked it online with one of the major reputable sites like Orbitz, Travelocity, or Expedia, they all will have information and contact numbers for you. Similarly, the airlines will have policies on their pages. If you booked via an unknown website, you will likely have more difficulty resolving your issues. It is when issues like these pop up, that a professional travel agent is your best bet.  In any event, be patient, there are literally hundreds of thousands of traveler affected by this and the hold times are long.

As it seems that the Swine Flu/Influenza is spreading rapidly in North America and parts of Europe, everyone can take certain steps to limit their personal risk.
 

1. Know the symptoms and how they differ from a common cold or allergies, etc.
2. Contact your doctor immediately if you suspect any symptoms of the Swine Flu.
3. Stay informed. Subscribe to alerts and RSS feeds and keep abreast of the breaking news.
4. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if hands are not visibly soiled.
5. Cover your cough. Use a tissue if possible and if nothing else, the crook of your arm/sleeve.
6. A surgical mask can reduce the spread of the droplets that carry the flu. Sick people should wear  it if possible and those in proximity to sick people should as well
7. If possible, avoid traveling while ill. Remember that airlines recirculate air.
8. you are ill, avoid work, school, or other areas where people congregate.

If you are planning on staying local, heeding the above tips will also serve you well. Just this afternoon, Anne Arundel County's County Executive, John Leopold issued a caution about the disease.