Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Nepal… Several neighboring states of China are affected by the coronavirus epidemic. A slightly fatal disease - on the order of 1 to 3% of infected people - but sufficiently contagious to worry travelers leaving for these tourist destinations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) "does not advocate at this stage travel restrictions or the establishment of screening procedures for the countries concerned," said the Foreign Ministry on Monday. It is nevertheless "strongly recommended to postpone any trip to Wuhan and throughout the province of Hubei". For other Asian countries, the recommendations are simple.
Avoid crowds and wash your hands
"As with most respiratory diseases, avoid really close contact with a sick person, avoid crowds, and, above all, wash your hands," said Paul-Henri Consigny, infectious disease doctor, director of the medical center. from the Institut Pasteur, in Paris.
“Travelers must walk around with an alcohol-based solution. If everyone washed their hands perfectly, we would have far fewer epidemics, ”he insists.
Keep away from animals
The Ministry of Health also requests to avoid contact with animals, living or dead. The virus having been transmitted to man by an animal which was, most certainly, on the seafood market of Wuhan, where snakes, badgers or rats lived together.
Is the market, an activity often recommended by tourist guides, to be banned during your stay? "Since Wuhan, we have not known any other transmission through animal reservoirs," explains Paul-Henri Consigny. But there is nothing to indicate that this reservoir cannot be present in other places, or even that the virus can pass in the other direction, from man to animal. We do not know. It is better to take small precautions to avoid taking large ones later, ”he believes.
No undercooked meat
The Ministry of Health also recommends not eating uncooked or undercooked meat and, if symptoms of respiratory infection, wear a surgical mask and use disposable tissues. "It is obvious, on the other hand, that any fragile person - elderly or suffering from chronic illness, pregnant woman, infant - will not be advised to travel… quite simply," notes Paul-Henri Consigny. On the way back, in case of symptoms of respiratory infection, "call 15 directly", reminds the doctor.
Postponement or reimbursement of air tickets to China
For the moment, only China, where more than 100 people died after contracting the 2019-nCoV, is concerned by exceptional measures.
While Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic, and its region are quarantined and cut off from the rest of the world, French tour operators have decided to suspend travel to China until February 21. "The closure of most tourist sites prevents the proper execution of programs," said Seto (Syndicate of tour-operating companies) in a statement.
Air France passengers who plan to go to China and whose ticket was purchased before January 24 can cancel or postpone, without charge, their trip "for departures between January 26 and February 29, 2020", tells us French business. The measures are the same for his Dutch sister KLM.
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Like Air France, many airlines exceptionally waive their cancellation or reimbursement fees for flights to China. This is particularly the case of Singapore Airlines (for departures until February 29), the Hong Kong company Cathay Pacific / Dragon (February 29), or British Airways (February 23).
American Airlines offers the possibility to its customers to postpone their trip until one year after the purchase of the ticket (passengers will have to pay the difference in price). The German airline Lufthansa allows travelers whose initial departure was scheduled before February 23 to reschedule their flight until September 30.
VIDEO: Chinese virus in France: symptoms and prevention
