A recent breakout of the fatal coronavirus has now resulted in the death of 17 people in China and left hundreds more critically ill. The virus has now been confirmed in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, as well as here in the U.S. In response, airports across the U.S. have begun screening arriving passengers and re-routing those from affected regions.
We polled travelers on how the outbreak of this virus has affected their travel plans. See the results below.
Do you think the U.S. should screen all international travelers for the #Coronavirus?
- Yes, all international travelers should be screened: 42%
- Yes, travelers from affected regions should be screened: 45%
- No to screening: 4%
- What is Coronavirus?: 9%
If the #Coronavirus became more widespread, would it affect your travel plans?
- Yes, if it gets worse: 50%
- No, I'm not worried: 25%
- What is Coronavirus?: 15%
- Yes, it has already affected my travel plans: 10%
"As the world grows smaller and more connected, travelers understand that these types of fast-spreading fatal illnesses can be serious if not dealt with swiftly. That involves a tightly coordinated effort by airports around the world. After similar scares like MERS, SARS, and, most recently, Ebola, the majority of passengers are willing to undergo medical screening if it means staving off a possible pandemic," said Tracy Stewart, editor and travel expert at airfare deal site Airfarewatchdog.com.
Those concerned about upcoming international travel should consider these tips.
