Should my family go to Italy with me next week?

aliao,

A few thoughts.....

I wouldn't be too concerned with Ebola for trips to Italy. While there's always some risk of contracting diseases during air travel, that's not a disease I'd be concerned with. Authorities are monitoring passengers from West African countries, and it's not likely any will be on your flights in either direction.

Measles could be a concern, and I'd recommend contacting your family physician or a travel medicine physician on that point. I assume you're travelling from the U.S. so you could also check the U.S. State Department travel section or the CDC website. The latter website mentions an "accelerated" vaccination for infants, but that's something you'll need to discuss with your Doctor.

It would be unfortunate to lose the $3000 that you've spent. I'm sure you've now realized that it would have been prudent to research these issues before spending a lot of money on reservations and rail passes.

One additional point to mention regarding Rail Passes. These DO NOT include the seat reservation fees that are compulsory on the faster trains. You'll need to pay separately "out-of-pocket" for those. If you're caught without valid reservations for the train you're riding on, you'll face hefty fines of about €50 PP which will be collected on the spot! Also, the Rail Passes CAN NOT be used for some rail networks in Italy, including the high speed Italo trains or the Circumvesuviana (among others).

It would be helpful to know exactly where you plan to visit in Italy during the two weeks.

Good luck with your decision!

Was there an Ebola outbreak in Italy? Or for that matter in the US?
Sorry- but I think it would be ridiculous to change your plans based on whatever "issues" you might have been scared by.

Calm down and turn off the news. Of course you should all go. You are just as likely to get Ebola and measles at home. I have two small children and traveled the world with them from infancy. I live in Europe and have never heard of any child getting measles. Relax!

If you are going to pull stuff off the internet to scare people, please check the dates. The above referenced article is dated April 28, 2011. More than three years old. I am sure that outbreak is over.

Ebola would be least of my concerns. Ranking right next to concerns for bombings. If it was my family I would not be worried. Check with the baby's doctor. The greatest chance of contract measles would be the flight over because of the tight space in the aircraft. However, measles are not a big issue in the US at the moment so probability of anyone on the flight having measles would be very low so you overall probability would extremely low. Once in Italy just be careful if you heard of measles in the area. Go, stop worrying.

PS Just had another thought. If you don't think it is safe for your family in Europe, what about the millions of families living in Europe or the thousands of tourist and their family currently traveling in Europe. The greatest risk for injury/death to your family will the drive to your local airport. You don't think twice about that.

We all know that measles is a serious disease.
The info in the WHO link (from 2011 by the way) is pretty clear- 6500 cases in 33 countries over a 3 month period - and Italy is not one of the listed countries.
True that there have also been a few outbreaks here in the US-mostly attributed to the discredited practice of not vaccinating children.

Now- if there was a serious current outbreak in Italy, there might be some cause for concern

I would assume that your pediatrician has already given the OK to travel with your 8 month old.
The chances of the baby coming into contact with measles in Italy is no more no less than it would be here in the USA. I assume the baby is taken out to public places?

Just did a little quick internet checking. If you are interested in avoiding measles, then you need to get out of Dodge (US) in a hurry. Two areas with outbreaks in our part of the world is the US and Brazil. The Far East is having a big problem as is Australia and United Kingdom. No mention of central Europe or Italy. Have a safe trip.

According to several studies the Bubonic Plague of the mid 1300s, aka the Black Death, which spread from Italy to the rest of Europe killing millions, was actually a virus related to the Ebola virus and not the plague, which is caused by a bacterium.

If that is the case, many Italians may have inherited from their surviving ancestors a natural immunity to Ebola. So I think your family will be safer from a pandemic there rather than at home.

Please don't cancel your trip! There are many, many babies being born all over Italy every day, and they don't have measles! People here in the states who refuse to vaccinate their kids due to a fear of Autism are the ones you need to avoid!

Please don't cancel. We're exposed to too much INFORMATION with 24/7 news, and when nothing's going on, they make mountains out of molehills! There are 317+ million Americans and Three cases of Ebola, and you'd think there were millions!!!

Aliao,

RE: measles

You probably read the same story I posted the link for. Neither of us realized it was from 2011.

I would take your family with you on your trip.

Ebola? I am not canceling a trip I have planned with children.

There's no greater chance of contracting ebola or measles in Italy or on the flight than there is at home. I wouldn't think twice about traveling right now.

Well ??????? Tells us !! what have you decided?