Travel Ethics in Covid Era

[Lumpy1106]

For me it's about behavior adjustment. If I'm exposed or potentially exposed but don't have symptoms, testing & quarantining while awaiting results helps manage any potential spread from asymptomatic people. Even though I wear masks everywhere (even running outside), particles can still escape. And when I got home from my FL trip, I didn't go to Target or ShopRite or anywhere at all until I got a negative result (even though I never had any symptoms, and never tested positive).

The ability to quickly and effectively test, along with mitigation steps like wearing masks is what will ultimately help us resume many kinds of normal behavior.

Thanks! That makes sense - though your case I would guess is an exception? That's a lot of negative tests. FWIW - we had friends that went and got tested because they had the sniffles after swimming in their own pool. That just seems crazy to me - not something to base travel restrictions on.

 

[yulilin3]

So many different type of scenarios as to why people are getting tested, here's my personal one
I was tested way back in May (feels like forever ago) cause i was working at the airport doing the travel tracing for people from the tri state area- negative
Then i got tested more recently cause my DD was feeling ill, light headed, dizziness, the doctor recommended we all get tested- negative

My DD who is a CM got tested back in August cause her step brothers dad was positive, she lives in the same household as step brother- negative
Then the night of dizziness she went to the emergency room where they tested her- results came back 5 days later negative
Because of the same illness Disney wouldn't let her go back to work until results so she did rapid testing- negative

 

[AllieBoo]

We were supposed to go tomorrow for 6 nights. We talked about not going mainly due to spending alot of money for a limited experience. Well. our dog decided for us. He got very sick, pneumonia, and we used some of the money for the trip for his medical emergency. So, staycation it is! But, we would have gone if not for that. We felt that if we didn't like a situation at Disney we could leave the area and find some place else in the park or resort where we felt more comfortable. I believe that Disney is following precautions very well and everyone coming back from WDW say they felt very safe. Sorry to hear that your trip has been postponed but January can be nice too. We will be going again in May and we rebooked our Nov 2020 trip for Nov 2021 so we can see the decorations. We have 2 trips to plan and look forward to.

Sorry you had to cancel!
Were you booked onsite? I am trying to find out if they are refunding deposits for room only cancellations if cancelled within a couple of days of check in?

 

[Jamie Sinkula]

Oh man, I feel this... we are scheduled to drive down from Minneapolis next Friday and be gone for 2 weeks. We are currently quarantining and tested yesterday to make sure we are safe to travel and will be hunkered down at home for a week. I can confidently say we will not be bringing the virus down there with us. But cases are raging here and it feels kinda "wrong" to be traveling now. We are finally go back after we drove home 2 days into our 14 day trip in March. I know I have good friends judging me. But they haven't done the research I have to feel safe in Disney and Universal... so many factors...

 

[soniam]

It's definitely a thinker. We went in July and plan to go again next week. We do/did have non-refundable DVC rentals; otherwise, I would probably cancel. I'm not judging anyone; I just don't know if I would feel right. We can and will quarantine for 14 days upon return, so it makes it easier for us. We are all working/schooling from home. We don't have high risk family/friends or even much family nearby. We have been staying at home mostly, except for doctors appointments, occasional store trips, curbside restaurant/groceries, and 2 movie theater visits since August.

My BIL wanted to see us at Thanksgiving, but we will be gone. I said maybe next year, as in like when "this" is over or significantly better. Then he was like "Not at Christmas?". He's nice, but I know that he probably goes everywhere and doesn't really follow our way of thinking concerning the risks/responsibilities of covid. I suspect he thinks this is all overblown; each to his own. I feel slightly guilty going to WDW but not seeing them. He wants everyone at xmas to go my in-laws, who are in the 80s, have had recent surgeries, and heart conditions. I'm like no way am I going to potentially expose them. Plus, the in-laws are like please don't visit us. I won't even let our son visit my parents for xmas, and they are much younger and healthier.

There's no winning here, just levels of losing, at least that's how it feels right now. Just trust your own judgement and don't let others make choices for you or make you feel guilty.

 

[Snowysmom]

Sorry you had to cancel!
Were you booked onsite? I am trying to find out if they are refunding deposits for room only cancellations if cancelled within a couple of days of check in?

I got the room and tickets refunded. I had bought both separately. I thought I read that they will refund room only up to the day before travel. It may be different now. I canceled 7 days out.

 

[GoingSince1990]

IMO if you scrupulously follow all of the health requirements imposed by the different states involved (Florida and your home state) it is ethical to travel. Not ethical would be something like attending an illegally large gathering a couple of days before you left and then traveling regardless.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

We just got back from a short trip. I have to admit I was a little anxious at a few points leading up to the trip. (And once during the trip when I checked the news and saw the numbers increasing). But time after time the measures that Disney was taking put me at ease. We haven't eaten at a restaurant with our 3 little kids in many months. At Disney, we ate 3 table service meals and we felt incredibly safe. On-phone menus, tables distanced more like 10 feet apart. Ride lines spaced, capacity was safe (not empty, but plenty of room to spread out.) Poper mask (not bandana or below the chin) wearing everywhere. When my 2 year old daughter's mask fell off , she got upset because she saw what everyone else was doing and she wanted us to help "fix her mask." We saw CM's firmly remind folks several times and even turn people away at Disney Springs. I felt safer than I did shopping at my local grocery store back home. Everything was being cleaned meticulously. Even more so than usual. My wife and I are both essential workers. She is a nurse, I am a school administrator, our kids are in daycare. We both take precautions at work and Disney went above and beyond what we see at our jobs and local communities. If either of us had felt sick or had symptoms and had gone anyway, then yes we would have been acting acting immorally. But, we followed the rules and ensured our children did as well. Well done Disney, it was a great vacation.

 

[GoingSince1990]

We just got back from a short trip. I have to admit I was a little anxious at a few points leading up to the trip. (And once during the trip when I checked the news and saw the numbers increasing). But time after time the measures that Disney was taking put me at ease. We haven't eaten at a restaurant with our 3 little kids in many months. At Disney, we ate 3 table service meals and we felt incredibly safe. On-phone menus, tables distanced more like 10 feet apart. Ride lines spaced, capacity was safe (not empty, but plenty of room to spread out.) Poper mask (not bandana or below the chin) wearing everywhere. When my 2 year old daughter's mask fell off , she got upset because she saw what everyone else was doing and she wanted us to help "fix her mask." We saw CM's firmly remind folks several times and even turn people away at Disney Springs. I felt safer than I did shopping at my local grocery store back home. Everything was being cleaned meticulously. Even more so than usual. My wife and I are both essential workers. She is a nurse, I am a school administrator, our kids are in daycare. We both take precautions at work and Disney went above and beyond what we see at our jobs and local communities. If either of us had felt sick or had symptoms and had gone anyway, then yes we would have been acting acting immorally. But, we followed the rules and ensured our children did as well. Well done Disney, it was a great vacation.

Great to hear! We haven't been since February (our April trip was canceled) and are planning to go in December. Disney has always set the standard in excellence in park cleanliness, innovation, and customer service, and it is very reassuring to hear that they are also setting high standards in Covid protection and hygiene. Thanks for your report!

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Well, decision made My husband's boss rescinded his vacation time because she "needs him there" and a boss is a boss. We're trying to reschedule for 1/3-1/10. He said inside he felt like Clark Griswold at the end of Christmas Vacation when he yells at his boss, but he managed to keep it together . My daughter, 13, had a rough day with school and when we told her the holiday trip was off, she just fell apart. It was awful. I know a lot of people have it so much worse, but I also feel like disboards is the one place I can vent about this without someone yelling "first world problems!" Maybe we'll try for our dream holiday trip in Dec 2021!

 

[Summer2018]

Thanks for all your responses. I'm just so torn about it! I almost wish one of our employers or Florida or IL would just give us a rule that made our decision for us. Part of what's so exhausting about this pandemic for everyone is that most regular people just aren't equipped to make this many high-pressure decisions all the time. Everything is so hard! My husband is going to talk with his boss and see if she has a "ruling" that would force him to quarantine unpaid after--that would be a deal-breaker. I'm working from home anyway. We scheduled a back-up trip for 1/30 but now I'm wondering if things will be up and running then or if we'll have a shutdown after the new president is inaugurated (not a political thing at all! and definitely not wanting to get into politics!). Gahhhhh!!!!

Things are deteriorating where I live. We were given a directive at work to not attend any social gatherings. Travel is absolutely forbidden. We will be home for the holidays visiting virtually with relatives, just like every holiday since Easter.