Postponing Our Trip To Catania, Italy

With everything going on with regards to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have decided on postponing our trip to Catania, Italy.  It’s worth saying that I am not afraid of traveling to Italy, in fact, I think it would be a wonderful time of year to go and probably much less crowded than normal (bonus!), however, I am afraid of it spreading further do to my want, not need, to visit a place that has been set to Category 3 by the CDC (Avoid Nonessential Travel).  I really wanted to go to Catania and see Sicily, but it just isn’t worth possibly spreading this to my friends and family after I return.

I am in good health and have a strong immune system, but some of my friends and family don’t.  There aren’t many people they would be able to point at who they’ve been in contact with that could have got them this virus if they began to show symptoms.

Words of Warning

I advise other travelers who are planning to go to these areas to be extra cautious, perhaps don’t go (a number of airlines are allowing cancelations or change fees waived during this time), as it is our duty to respect the world of traveling and keep it going, but not spreading a virus that is in our hands to help stop.

What You Can Do

There’s a number of things you can do to help yourself and those around you:

• Get the flu vaccine, as the flu can mimic coronavirus.
• Wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds, including the tips of your fingers.
• Stay informed. A great source of information is the CDC website, cdc.gov. It’s especially helpful for information and advice about travel.
• Wipe down common areas in the office and at home. 
• Have added hand sanitizer with you.

Postponing TBEX Europe 2020

The main reason for us going to Catania was for TBEX Europe. I’ve been following the message board for this often with regards to the virus, and along with so many other conferences, they made the tough decision on postponing the event.

What Next

It’s likely the conference will move later in the year. My hope is for October as it is still quite nice in Italy, and the flights aren’t terribly expensive to change as most people with kids aren’t traveling.

That’s if we decide to go to the conference then. We’ll just have to see how much vacation time I’ll have at that point in the year since this trip not happening has opened up the possibility of going to Burning Man and taking a short trip to see some friends out of town.

As of now, most of the airlines we’re flying with (Alaska and American) have said they’ll wave the cancelation or change fees, so my first steps are to contact the airlines and see about canceling or changing what I can.

Do you have any recommendations on what we should do with the time/money we were planning to put into this trip? If so, leave a comment below!