DFAT Warning [Do NOT Travel overseas]

[SeatBackForward]

So as per DFAT advice are we entitled to refunds for current international flights?

No DFATs advisory doesn't entitle anything to anyone. It will depend upon the policy you have and/or what ever the airlines offer

 

[file51]

Again, please don't be offended - I am being a pedant, but the 'ban' there looks like a media headline. The quote doesn't have the PM or the government 'banning' anything.

All good, no offence taken at all.

With all the news coming thick & fast perhaps the wording could have been better.

 

[jbman]

Again, please don't be offended - I am being a pedant, but the 'ban' there looks like a media headline. The quote doesn't have the PM or the government 'banning' anything.

I really wish it was a ban to ease getting a refund

 

[opusman]

30% of health care workers would leave their post, go home and look after their kids
Kids flooding the general population including grandparents

At the moment the health care system can cope with 30% of care workers at home. In three weeks, when they will be forced to close the schools anyway, it won't be able to.

I don't know why people think it won't go down here exactly like it has everywhere else. It will get steadily worse and worse until the government is forced to lock down anyway, only then they'll have hundreds of deaths a day instead of one or two.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I really wish it was a ban to ease getting a refund

The insurance cover I take does specify if DFAT issues a "Do Not Travel" Advisory. However, given this circumstance is widespread, event his event is may not be covered.

 

[craven morehead]

Just to lighten the mood

 

[Katja]

Of all the countries that have recently closed their border due to the coronavirus, have any blocked their own citizens from entering?

I’m in the air at the moment after a mad scramble to get home...wifi not great up here but yes, Trudeau has stated that even if you are a Canadian citizen, if you display signs of Covid, then don’t come home...I’ll try to find the link when I land.

 

[prozac]

I have a daughter travelling in Europe ... well not anymore of-course. Any travel she makes back home exposes her and anyone in Australia to Covid, so I've advised her to just stay put in Netherlands and simply make like a local for a few months or however long it takes.
Not a setback, an opportunity.

 

[Kangol]

I’m in the air at the moment after a mad scramble to get home...wifi not great up here but yes, Trudeau has stated that even if you are a Canadian citizen, if you display signs of Covid, then don’t come home...I’ll try to find the link when I land.

That's odd. I can understand why he would want that for Canada, but at the same time imagine if you were a Canadian abroad...

 

[Anna]

Of all the countries that have recently closed their border due to the coronavirus, have any blocked their own citizens from entering?

USA put some of its own citizens on its No Fly list for 2 weeks because they had been on Diamond Princess but chose not to return to the US on the govt repatriation flight to mandatory detention

 

[opusman]

Completely agree with you. The Australian government seems to be waiting for the situation to get as bad as Europe before taking any serious action to bring it under control. It is far from under control now, so the current measure are obviously not working.

The Imperial College study from a couple of days ago is rather sobering.

Compares doing nothing (what the UK originally proposed), with social distancing (as we are now doing), and with complete lockdown (as seen in China and Europe).

Figures are for the US but I don't see why Australia should be any different other than the overall numbers being lower due to lower population.

Do nothing = 4 million dead
Social distrancing = 1.1 million dead
Lockdown = A few thousand dead

A good twitter thread summarises it:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1239975682643357696

 

[Caitlinnnn]

Yeah I agree on this too. Has anyone had a look at how the numbers in the US and Italy both rose? We are on track to have the same numbers.

 

[Anna]

I don't think there's any worry of Australia closing its border to Australian citizens. Indeed, it would be legally dubious for a state to attempt to refuse entry to its own citizens.

I absolutely agree with you, it is legally dubious (at best), but that is exactly what Scomo/Dutton etc threatened to Australian pax off Diamond Princess who did not want to fly home on the govt flight to the NT mining camp. Not sure if the threat was acted on in Australia's case. It was acted on by USA for US pax.

 

[Snowant]

The original plan was that, when we reached the stage of closing the borders, it'd be done instantly with no warning. Sending out this warning will bring people flooding back, carrying more virus. This government is so out of its depth, and so in the thrall of big business, it can't govern effectively.

 

[Anna]

It's definitely comforting to convince yourself that what's happening overseas won't happen here. I'll pop back here in 3 weeks and say I told you so

The Guardian ran an article not long ago setting out the contemporaneous 'expert predictions' about SARS next to what actually ended up happening. I found that mildly comforting. But only mildly.

 

[clod]

Question for the hive mind...

I am due to fly to BKK tomorrow AM for a three night stay arriving back in SYD from SIN (QF2 if it is not going via Perth yet) at 0610. It's a status run and a treat after doing a long stint with the fires.

Will I be let back in?

 

[prozac]

Question for the hive mind...

I am due to fly to BKK tomorrow AM for a three night stay arriving back in SYD from SIN (QF2 if it is not going via Perth yet) at 0610. It's a status run and a treat after doing a long stint with the fires.

Will I be let back in?

Thanks for your consideration ... you could be bringing back COVID.

Appreciate your service, but can't you take a break in Merimbula instead?

 

[clod]

Thanks for your consideration ... you could be bringing back COVID.

And equally and more likely I will not. I know how to hand wash and live alone. Not a huge risk of me getting it or spreading it. The big problem atm as I see it is all the Chicken Littles freaking out about End of Days extreme possibilities instead of being rational. Thanks for your input though.

 

[Archphoto]

Question for the hive mind...

I am due to fly to BKK tomorrow AM for a three night stay arriving back in SYD from SIN (QF2 if it is not going via Perth yet) at 0610. It's a status run and a treat after doing a long stint with the fires.

Will I be let back in?

As it currently stands, I'd say yes, but naturally, that could change. Not being at the pointy-end making these decisions nobody here probably has *any* idea what is/is not going to happen, however, what we can all be sure of is: you'll have to self-isolate for a minimum 14 days when you get back.

Perhaps of greater concern: what happens if your airline of choice suddenly decides to cancel the return route or Thailand suddenly goes into lockdown? Additionally, will your travel insurance cover you if you find yourself stranded now that DFAT has declared a Level 4 Travel alert?

Lots of questions, very few answers as things change so quickly - the only thing that we can be sure of is it's not going to be an easy fix and the effect across the board, worldwide, is not going to end anytime soon.

Stay safe & healthy!

 

[dajop]

The current concern is about importing cases from overseas. But the disease is already there in the community, how long before regional "lockdowns" are attempted? It seems managing it region by region seems to be the modus operandi where the outbreak is extreme. Obviously not state by state though, given the size of the states. Some areas are probably relatively easy to lock down - I think during the 1994 bushfires, access to Sydney was blocked everywhere but the SW corridor. Looking at the maps, probably only 20 or so roadblocks to completely isolate Sydney and surrounds. Melbourne, though, much more difficult ...