Road Scholar telephone and email address concerning travel to Italy now that it's at level 4

As of March 1 (9:00 am EST), Italy is only at Level 3 per the CDC web-page. Only two areas (Lombardy and Veneto) have been raised to Level 4. Although the situation is rapidly changing, in my view, there is a lot of unnecessary panicking and misinformation about. I was scheduled on a trip in April to China, which Road Scholar cancelled for all trips in the first part of the year, and I have now rescheduled the trip to China for later.

While I do not have any plans for Italy this year, I have a lot of other international travel booked for this year - with Road Scholar and others. If you don't want to travel due to fears, then cancel -- this is why it is good to purchase the Cancel for Any Reason Insurance. However, I think that there is a lot of unreasonable fears and over-reaction happening. From what I'm reading, the virus is appearing just about everywhere. I don't want to live my life limited to my home, constrained by fears.

I have completed about 10 international trips with Road Scholar (plus more with other travel providers). They are very good, responsible providers (particularly compared to another I've used). It would be great if they just avoided the Level 4 areas in Italy and still visit Italy. This would have been my preferred option for the China trip I was scheduled on, but was not feasible.

This is just my view, but I worry that there is a silent majority who still want to travel, while the vocal group is trying to cancel trips. Bottom-line if you don't want to go, just cancel which allows those wish to maintain their travel plans to do so.

ask your heathcare provider what they think. I have and they say don't go.

As long as being self quarantined upon return is ok. The CDC (and some private employers ) will not allow folks who have been to certain countries to return to work. Any outside coverage area medical testing may also be self pay

cbbohio,,,,,,I will listen to what the medical/science experts say not the "silent majority" or "vocal group" as you state. I am a journalist and have access to the State Dept media dept. They sent a map of the areas with the virus which is spreading and Sicily is one of them. Most of the people traveling with Road Scholar are 55+ who are the most vulnerable

Absolutely!!

I found this site with some disturbing statistics. statistichecoronavirus.it/.../
There are a few cases (I don't know how serious) in the Naples area now. I don't know much more than that.

The Trump administration has advised citizens to avoid travel to all of Italy. The CDC has issued a level 3 advisory (their highest warning) which says to AVOID all non-essential travel to Italy due to rapid spread of the virus and lack of adequate available medical services in light of the large number of cases of this virus. They further identify older people as being at a higher level of risk of contracting the virus and needing medical care. Tourism is NOT essential travel. In addition, the US is implementing screening for signs of the virus BEFORE you get on a plane leaving Italy (implying that if you don't pass you can't board) and upon arrival in the US (meaning quarantine). Furthermore, airlines are cancelling air travel to northern Italy because of the high numbers of infected individuals, trains are being stopped at the boarder, and the situation is in rapid flux. Italy's number of infected is increasing at a rate of 50% every day. The virus is just starting to surface here even though there is scientific evidence that it may have been spreading silently for weeks. This most likely will result in future travel disruptions even within the US. These agencies don't make decisions based on fear and overreaction. They have the most current, up to date info. and scientific data regarding this virus. Other tour companies are cancelling trips due to this. Sending people in a high risk group into situations that both the US government and CDC identify as unsafe is not only unethical, but unacceptable. People may still want to travel and even be willing to travel. It would not be the first time people did things against their own best interest. You may be comfortable sticking your head in the sand, but RS needs to do the right thing. I'm sure if they cancel, they will be offering an option for people to register for future trips.

Thanks. We have been concerned for over a week and not happy with responses from RS. Hopefully they will be more responsive to concerns about Sicily are saying.

You said it well. Let’s hope RS does the right thing.

What do you think of the situation now? People in Italy did not over-react and see where they are now