"Safe" to Travel to China 2020??

I am also on a RS trip to China (includes Tibet) in April, so probably not the same one as you. I figure it is too soon to tell what the situation will be then, so I am not surprised that RS has not provided any guidance yet. It doesn’t appear that any travel companies that visit China (e.g., Tauck, Gate 1, etc.) have made any decisions yet. I have some friends visiting China in February with another travel organization (not RS) and as of last night, no decision has been made by their tour company. The Chinese government has temporarily closed the Forbidden City and the terra cotta warrior site to visitors, however, the government is still encouraging foreign visitors! So, I expect it will take a while to sort all this out.

I am still cautiously optimistic that the April trip I am on will operate. At least based on the current numbers (about 50 deaths and less than 3,000 cases confirmed worldwide) this is less than the common flu. Things may change and in fact, I would expect the count to increase. However, at least for now, this seems to be an acceptable risk (my view YMMV) and I remain eager to visit China.

Just my views.

I, too, am travelling to China in April with RS. We are 90 days out -- a lot can happen in that time. I am sure RS will keep us informed and up to date on travel issues as we get nearer our departure dates. In the meantime, I am getting all of the required and suggessted vaccines, as well as boosters, and plan to pack plenty of hand sanitizer packets. One thing I always carry when I travel, is a prescription for Cipro. It is the go to drug for all sorts of maladies you might encounter when traveling, from 'Montezuma's Revenge" to many varieties of bacterial infections. I will not kill a virus, but it will be very helpful in stopping any resulting infections in their tracks. Ask your doctor for a prescription, you won't be sorry you did!

Hi Lacey, I was on the Road Scholar trip for April 2. I say was, because I just transferred to another RS trip in another country. I do think Road Scholar will keep you well advised as to risks, although as of now China has stopped local tour companies from conducting trips and closed the forbidden city and the terra cotta warriors, which I wanted to see. I opted out because I was afraid my second choice trips would be booked up while waiting to see what develops in China. Today is the last day to transfer to another trip without penalty. Our China visas are good for ten years. Janet

Thank you for the update on the visas; I thought they were date specific. I don't want to pay for one IF the program is going to be cancelled anyways. Also I don't want to get the vaccinations required if I can't go to see the things I wanted to that are now closed. I really don't feel like this will all be over in 8 weeks before I am supposed to travel and think the responsible thing for Road Scholar to do would be to cancel the program now before I have to spend
hundreds more $$ on a visa and vaccinations that I won't be able to use and weren't necessary. This is not to mention the deposit and trip insurance I will also be out (have you read the insurance policy?), which is also hundreds of $$$. I have spoken with 2 different reps at RS and today I got an email from them saying that the..y are focused on the health and well being of their participants but their program is scheduled to go as planned. As a travel agency for elderly people I guess I assumed too much thinking they would cancel when the CDC says to avoid travel to China. I think they are not focused on my health and are entirely too focused on keeping my money and their bottom line. Lacey

My views are somewhat different, as I hope RS adopts a wait and see attitude as my trip is not until April (somewhat more than two months away) and a lot (good or bad) can happen in this time.

The Chinese Visa is good for ten years. If RS has to cancel the trips, China would still be a destination to visit for the future.

The vaccinations recommendations for China are the same for many other countries (subject to individual health care providers recommendations). In fact, for my upcoming trip to China, the vaccinations I had last year for another part of Asia eliminated any need for vaccinations this year. Thus, getting vaccinations now if you need them may facilitate travel elsewhere if China has to be cancelled. (Best to consult your own health care provider, but mine indicated I’m go to go to Thailand and a couple of other areas if China is cancelled.)

Bottom line is based upon current information, it seems the best approach is to Wait and See. I think RS (and most other travel providers) are taking the right approach. I have friends who were scheduled to travel to China on February 2 with another travel provider (not RS). Their travel provider today cancelled that trip, but has not yet cancelled other trips departing at the end of February or later.

I remain cautiously hopeful that things will be resolved quickly and that I will be seeing China in April.

We too remain cautiously optimistic. We still have two and a half months before our April 16 departure. I think one has to be prepared to be flexible these days, especially when traveling internationally. But China is a big place. Hopefully, we can still proceed, even if with a slightly changed itinerary.

Just got the phone call. Thank you RS for doing the right thing and cancelling all China programs for the first half of 2020 AND giving us a full refund. This pandemic is not going to be over soon, and is much worse than the flu AND has surpassed SARS. It finally took the WHO announcement and the airlines cancelling flights to China to make the decision but it is the best thing for an organization that promotes travel in older folks.

Sadly, my tour "Classic Icons of China and Yangtze River Cruise" April 25th has been cancelled, along with all other tours to China for the first half of 2020, due to the coronavirus. The State Department and CDC recommend that no one travel to China now. I feel disappointed, yes, but feel terribly sorry for those in China dealing with this epidemic.

I rebooked the "Classic Icons of China and Yangtze River Cruise" for October 24th, 2020. Hopefully, the coronavirus will have run its course by then.

For the nonce, I am still going to get all the vaccines recommended for travel in China. I strongly urge everyone to take this precaution in preparation for travel in Asia. Don't wait until the last minute -- a number of vaccines have a shot followed by a booster several weeks later to be fully immunized. Be safe! Do it now!

See you in October!
Bonnie

Here's a link to the list of the vaccines recommended by WHO and CDC for travel to China:

www.passporthealthusa.com/.../

Obviously, it's gotten worse since the last comment. It may not have been cancelled yet because your tour is a little out yet. I'm an intrepid traveler, but I would not go. Not only because of the virus but because many sites may be closed to tourists.

I am scheduled for a trip to Sicily Italy. CDC has a level 2 warning and RS said there were no warnings. After I emailed the CDC website they acknowledged that. I hope they cancel. We are all over 55+ and very vulnerable. Please keep calling them with your conerrns.

VERY happy to here this
I am scheduled for a trip to Sicily Italy in March . CDC has a level 2 warning and RS said there were no warnings. After I emailed the CDC website they acknowledged that. I hope they cancel. We are all over 55+ and very vulnerable. Please keep calling them with your concerns.

Hi. We are both 73 and booked on a RS trip to Spain May 8-17. If you hear anything about the situation in Spain vis a vis the Coronavirus please advise.
I will call RS tomorrow.

Thanks very much

EK Howard
Raleigh NC

RS has provided a page re status of programs due to COVID-19.

www.roadscholar.org/.../

I am assuming they will be updating this page accoordingly and it displays a date of last update.

Wishing all safe journey.

Please provide a full link to the status page of COVID-19. "www.roadscholar.org/.../" is an incomplete link and is useless.

Let's see if this will work....

www.roadscholar.org/.../

That is showing as a hot link to me.  If it doesn't work for you go to the home RS page.  Click on Practical Information on the red bar. Choose Health and Safety from the next page.