Coronavirus is spreading worldwide. There are confirmed Coronavirus cases in every continent (except for Antarctica). According to the CDC, there are 10 states with confirmed Coronavirus cases. If you are like most families whose family vacation revolves around school holidays, you most likely have March or April spring break coming up. Should you cancel your vacation because of Coronavirus concerns? We asked families from the New York suburbs to weigh in on whether or not they are planning to cancel their vacation because of Coronavirus.
Cancel International Trips Due to Coronavirus
Most of the families we talked to are not planning to cancel their vacations because of the Coronavirus. We are finding that the families who are canceling their trips are the families who are traveling to international destinations. A Greenwich, Connecticut family who originally planned to go to the Atlantis in March canceled their Bahamas vacation, “We canceled our Bahamas trip. Leaving the country makes me nervous right now. I also want to avoid flying. So we are doing a road trip- driving to go skiing instead.”
Fear of Being Quarantined
Fear of being quarantined is one of the main reasons why families are canceling their international trips and opting for domestic travel instead. One of our survey participants who is a resident of Fairfield County said, “I canceled our trip to Mexico because of the email from our school stating that if we went anywhere outside of the US, the kids might be quarantined for two weeks.”
Fear of Getting on the Plane
Being on a plane and possibly risking Coronavirus transmission is also a concern. One family canceled their trip to Israel to avoid getting on airplanes. Instead, they are driving to Florida from Connecticut for Spring break, she said, “We were going to go to Israel for March break. Our Spring break plans have changed due to the Coronavirus outbreak. We are driving to Florida to avoid flying. We don’t want to be in an airplane for a long period of time (or any amount of time at all!)”
Fear of Not Being Able to Come Back to the United States
In line with the fear of being quarantined, some families are afraid they will not be able to come back to the United States. We talked to a mom from Westchester County and she said, “We are going to Florida. I would have been nervous about leaving the country. With this political climate – I would not be surprised if they closed borders!” The same sentiment was also echoed by a Fairfield County resident, she said, “I’m not going overseas because I’m scared of not being able to get back into the country or having to be quarantined if things get bad!”
Cancel International Travel and Switch to Domestic Travel
We are finding even as the Coronavirus outbreak increases, many families are still comfortable with domestic travel. Most families who are canceling their trips are the ones going to an International destination. Instead of canceling their vacation, families are changing their travel plans and switching to domestic travel instead.
One Westchester family canceled their Bahamas trip to go to Florida, “We were originally planning a trip to the Bahamas. We switched to Florida! First to visit the grandparents and then to the Keys. We are just a little nervous to leave the country right now but excited about our new itinerary- it looks like a fun trip!”
Another Westchester resident thought domestic travel was not an issue with Coronavirus, “We are going to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Palm Beach, Florida. I’m glad that we didn’t have to debate going or not going because domestic travel seems to be a non-issue at the moment.”
Coronavirus Is Not That Deadly
Families are not canceling their vacation because they don’t think the Coronavirus is that bad. One Connecticut resident compares it to the seasonal flu, she said, “We are going to Florida. The flu killed more people this year than the Coronavirus, it’s sure scary but if you are relatively healthy you will be fine.” While another Westchester resident who is going to Utah and Florida in March thinks the Coronavirus symptoms are mild, she said, “We are going to Deer Valley and then to Palm Beach. My biggest fear is getting quarantined in a hotel. But the news makes it seem like that won’t be the case. They think it has already been spread around and most people don’t even have symptoms.”
Will Not Cancel Vacation Unless there is a Coronavirus Travel Advisory
Some families are going on their trip unless they are told not to. We talked to a Westchester resident who is going to Antigua and she said, “We are going to Antigua. As of right now, we are not canceling. We will only cancel if there is a travel advisory telling us not to go!” A Fairfield County resident who is going to Florida said, “We are not canceling unless the airport is shut down!”
Will Not Let Coronavirus Ruin My Vacation!
Many of the families we talked to are not letting the Coronavirus ruin their vacation. One Fairfield County resident who is going to Florida said, “We are going to Miami. As of now, we are not canceling because my kids are working so hard and we need the sunshine!” Another Fairfield County resident who is going to the Dominican Republic said, “We are going to Punta Cana. We are not canceling because I really need the sun and relaxation by the water. We may wear face masks on the plane and at the airport though!” Another Westchester resident refuses to let the Coronavirus ruin her family’s ski vacation, she said, “We are going to Colorado. We are not letting Coronavirus ruin our vacation!”
Will Not Cancel Vacation but Will Continue to Monitor the Coronavirus Situation
Many families are sticking to their vacation plans but will continue to monitor the Coronavirus situation. We talked to a Fairfield County resident who is going to Mont Tremblant for March break and she said, “We are going skiing at Mont Tremblant (Canada). At this time, we have no plans of canceling our trip, though we will continue monitoring the situation at home and at Mont Tremblant.” She also said her reasons for not canceling her vacation are, “We are driving, not flying, which makes me feel more comfortable. Flying would have me more concerned. Additionally, I think that the area we are going to is actually at a lower risk of an outbreak than the New York suburbs which is close to a major metropolitan area. All that said, our trip is still three weeks away and a lot could change in that time.”
Another Fairfield County resident who is still planning to go to Florida said, “Right now, we are sticking to our plans to go to Florida for Spring break. However, we are still on the fence, waiting to see what happens in Florida!”
Should You Cancel Your Vacation Because of the Coronavirus?
Most of the families we talked to are not canceling their vacation because of Coronavirus. In general, families are feeling positive and not letting Coronavirus concerns ruin their vacation plans. Overall, families are comfortable with domestic travel and some have canceled their international trip and switched it to domestic travel instead. As one Fairfield County resident who is going to Florida said, “We are going on vacation. I don’t want to put my life on hold just yet!”
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Suburbs 101 is an online lifestyle guide for the New York Suburbs of Westchester County, Long Island, Fairfield County and Northern New Jersey. Get the inside scoop on what it’s really like to live in the New York suburbs through our interviews with local suburbanites and features on Food, Fashion, Home, Travel, and Local Events. Be sure to Follow Us on Instagram, Like Us on Facebook and subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter.