Level 4 Travel warning…

Hi Danielle, I just canceled my trip that was scheduled for 12/26. We all have our boosters as well but I just felt like I was running into so many hurdles (obligatory large family gathering in PA--see my post) and the thing that finally made the decision for me was the Level 4 travel warning. You should look at the post from Bets that explains what you need to do if you test positive while in France. Personally, I didn't want to go through that and with two of my kids having to get back to college by a certain date and me not being able to be away from work for an additional 11 days at minimum, it didn't feel like the right decision at this point in time for us. If you don't have to get back to the states by a certain date and are ok with possibly having to quarantine in France if you do test positive then maybe you want to go for it. I just didn't want to travel with that possibility hanging over my head, but that's just me. Good luck. It's not an easy decision.

My bottom line for considering trips is the government’s advice. In the U.K., a do not travel warning (level 4) invalidates travel insurance. Therefore, as I wouldn’t travel without insurance, that’s my red line.

We all hate cancelling trips, otherwise we wouldn’t book them!

A U.S. Level 4 travel warning will usually not cancel US travel insurance.

I find that the U.S. hands out Level 4's quite easily during Covid-- even when the rates are much lower than the US's for the virus.

It's your decision. If you are fearful of going and will be nervous every day, don't go. You won't enjoy yourself.

I've been in Europe for 8 weeks and have 4 to go. I have made adjustments such as eating in my hotel room much of the time, avoiding large gatherings, and wearing a mask everywhere. (Restaurants that in the past would never offer take away foods now are. And that's even true in France. Food delivery is everywhere.)

As you said, for many it may be time to try to get back to normal or as close to normal as possible in the age of Covid. It's not going away soon and sone "experts" now believe we may need annual boostets for years to come.

The CDC world map helps to put it in perspective as most of the world is currently at a level 4 or 3. The US has been at level 4 for as long as I can remember.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html

As Frank states, you will have no trouble getting US travel insurance.

I traveled to Switzerland right after it was moved to level 4 and felt safer over there than I do in the US.

Back from Rome yesterday, same thought - it felt far safer there than here in Atlanta. But certainly the major factor for me was doing research on how the local public was accepting of covid protocols. In Italy they were serious about it.

My main concern in the near term (<4 months) would be not knowing how far restrictions/lockdowns will go due to Omicron. No fun to travel if you can't do much.

Considering where I live our vaccination rate is 54 percent….compared to 88 percent in France….I think I’ll feel safer there than here…..I have no problem masking or testing and am triple vaxxed.

I recently spent three weeks in France and felt very safe. Every restaurant, every museum and most hotels asked for the pass sanitaire. (Hotels for access to their breakfast area.) People pretty mich followed the rules.

On all trains, conductors and/or the police would walk around enforcing mask rules. The same for stations.

Thank you everyone for your person preferences/advice. Short of any lockdowns, 11 days and a wake up!!!

Got a Travel Advisory email from the French Embassy today regarding this. Debating as to what we should we do. Trip is in a week. We are all boosted but now nervous with the recent developments.

I think the main consideration is that you have some plan for dealing if you get COVID and are okay with extending your trip and dealing with the recertification to get back home. Basically after 10 days you can get a doctor's letter that you had and are cured from COVID since if you have had COVID you will continue to test positive for weeks. If you have thought about this and can manage this process then IMHO you are safer in France where most people follow the protocols than in some US states where most people don't.

And yeah, Insurance. In 2020 our long held travel insurance declared any COVID related costs not covered and we lost all the deposits etc we had made that could not be refunded. Many US policies declare many things off limits -- force majeur, war, terrorism and pandemics. And they happily invoked that as people were forced to cancel in spring of 2020. So make sure you know what yours covers.

My wife and I are going to France on 12/17 and are having same thoughts. As long as most things are open / accessible, I think we'll still go...

janettravels44 - we bought our travel insurance from Allianz. Any thoughts?

Leaving 12/16, same boat l, family of 5 traveling. Thank you all for sharing your reasons for going or cancelling. Great to hear decisions outside of an emotional knee jerk response to the Level 4 situation.

I have an annual travel policy from Alliaz. I specifically asked if Covid was covered and they said it is covered as under the normal terms of their policies. So if I am hospitalized or get sick due to Covid I am covered. However, if I cancel due to fear of Covid, it doesn't cover me.

I have separate medical evacuation insurance and checked to make sure if I get sick due to Covid and need to get home for medical reasons I am also covered.

Of course, you have to check regarding your own policy.

I have a trip planned end of January and am crossing my fingers that we will go. If things are still the way they are now, I am with you Janet -- I think we'll be safer there than some places here! A friend of mine came back a month ago± and said she felt much safer in France than here. (of course, that was pre- this latest surge...). I also purchased trip insurance from Allianz and like you, Frank, I called and clarified with them exactly what it covered -- my understanding is the same as yours in regards to covering illness, trip cancellation/interruption due to illness (including covid). What I tried to get them to answer was if France were to shut down, were we then covered on anything that was non-refundable if we are unable to travel because of a shut down?? The reply was, "I think so? You'd have to make a claim." (insert eye-rolling emoji). I guess that is about as good as it gets. I have a deposit on an apartment that at a certain point would be non-refundable. It's a roll of the dice!

frank -- it was an Allianz policy that denied COVID coverage in 2020 and I had purchased it months before this all cut loose. Glad your annual does as I have an annual policy with them as well. I will double check mine.

I did get my air travel refunded by the airline but they really resisted. They easily refunded my granddaughter's ticket because she was returning unaccompanied minor -- but ours took a long time -- they wanted to give us vouchers and I didn't want to risk that.

I suspect that all of France is not the same. Key points for me have been mentioned - insurance and contingency flexibility in case you do test positive before return. I am in Paris now (leaving tomorrow after 4 days) but got here before Level 4 was declared. And it has been great!

I have been to main tourist attractions and have seen great mask compliance. Almost all restaurants (and all museums) have checked for Pass Sanitaire (which was easy to get). And even the couple of restaurants that didn’t check knew I was from the U.S. and probably knew I couldn’t get in without vaccination and negative test (came on the first day of that new restriction).

That being said, the crowds at Galeries Lafayette were horrendous (don’t judge-ha!) and even Versailles, with timed entry, seemed crowded inside in places (although not like summer).

I will say that the getting here process is not smooth sailing (traveling during Covid just isn’t) but being prepared makes all the difference. After that, it is individual risk tolerance. But be honest with yourself about that.

We fly standby so if you have any doubts, stay home. and by the way, what flight are you cancelling? 🤣🤣🤣

Here’s the thing, with 90% of the eligible population fully vaccinated, this surge is affecting the unvaccinated and the school children. That’s where the statistics are coming from. The government is handling protecting the children. It’s not affecting a lot of vaccinated adults. Next, hospitalization is much lower than previous surges. The percent increase in cases is already tapering off.

The Pass sanitaire is very effective keeping places safe. The French system is well designed.

I’m not saying anyone should or shouldn’t go, but you really need to put this color coding into perspective.

It is nothing like what I’m seeing since arriving in the States last week where it’s still the wild west.