Should I make a quick dash to USA to see my beloved?

[Mousey]

I forgot something, Mousey. Welcome to AFF

Australia is not currently a country with a US quarantine requirement, but you can expect other countries to be added to the list once they reach the threshold of “sustained local transmission”. At current spread this may be days away in Australia, or the US may order a general inbound international travel restriction as many other countries have done.

California has just proclaimed a stay home requirement for everyone. We don’t know what exactly this means, but based on what is happening in many countries there is the risk you would be turned back, as your travel is not essential.

Something new every day, and noone can give definitive advice about tomorrow.

Thank you PineappleSkip!

 

[Mousey]

My partner is currently in Chicago visiting family and is due back in Australia Monday morning. The latest travel requirements have meant as she is a temporary Australian resident (who lives and works in Australia) she can't return until she gets authorisation from Australian immigration. I've been told to do an online form that doesn't have USA as an option then told just wait for it to be updated before she can submit it ( which on Australian time will be some time next week). I think she will have to move her flights and hope she gets clearance and that USA won't impose any further restrictions.

Unfortunately this is tough times atm and I would recommend not to travel. I didn't want her to leave but her mum's 60th was too important to her not to. It's a tough time around and I would say don't travel but if you must then accept that thing may go pear shaped.

It's definitely a tough time right now. I hope that your partner can work it out and come back to Aus asap.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Completely understand the emotional desire to go and visit, @Mousey. But sadly, I personally think that for your situation, it's impossible to go.

I have been debating in my mind the merits of going to Perth next weekend for 24-48 hours, just to see my family and give my folks a hug, to sit around with the family for dinner/BBQ, etc. Even flying there from Melbourne has its risks that I'm not sure are worth taking - I am mentally prepared to stay in Melbourne for quite some time as that is where work is.

Plus - and this is what I'm really struggling with - what if I was carrying the virus and took it back to my family home, putting my parents and sibling at risk - however small that may be?

There are no easy answers.

 

[Pushka]

I am in a long distance relationship. My BF lives a couple of hours north of Los Angeles in California.
So. We normally see each other every 3 - 4 weeks for a long weekend.

Should I make a quick dash to USA to see him now and come back before end of March, before Qantas/Virgin grounds their international flights? My intuition says NO - too much risk. What do you think?

Also - any ideas how long before USA closes its borders completely?

And how long before USA and/or Australia reopens the borders?

Are we really going to be separated til at least mid June? Or do you think it will be even longer? I am saying mid june because that's the date Virgin have suspended their international flights until.

I have been following the news/on-ground reports from USA pretty closely and I know they are in for a very rough ride.

Would love some advice here.

My sons partner is in the UK and was due to fly out in 2 weeks. They see each other less often. He cancelled. I think it will be mid September before normality starts again. Whatever that will look like. Forget anything until then.

Even sadder. My nephew works in France. His wife and two young kids live in Australia. He was here at Christmas then flew back and they were due to be holidaying in Singapore in April as a mid point between the two countries then he was returning to France and she to Australia with the babies.

If you are sad (my son was philosophical about cancelling) about waiting, imagine the grief of telling a 6 and 8 year old they won't be seeing their Dad for a total of 9 months when this thing is done. And a wife not seeing her husband for that time.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Sorry for the delay in responding.

I might have conflated ideas in my mind as I could only find US requirement to isolate for 14 days for coming from a high risk area (China, Iran, Europe, UK, Ireland, etc).

You can ask your boyfriend to double check what are the current requirements in this fluid environment.

 

[VPS]

Unless you have incredibly good TI I wouldn't risk going to the US now

 

[kpc]

No. Skype / Facetime etc. These are not normal times. There is a reason for the Do Not Travel warning. If you get sick in US, it will likely bankrupt you if you are lucky enough to even get into a hospital. Travel insurance is void.

 

[mrsterryn]

I recently returned from the US
I went for a funeral and to be there for a very close friend whose daughter it was that passed .
It was scarey as heck coming home
I travel frequently and have travelled to London after the bombings ditto with France
I won't travel back to USA for some time .
The financial risk of becoming ill over there is huge
Would I travel this week for the reason above . No I wouldn't

 

[Mousey]

Sorry for the delay in responding.

I might have conflated ideas in my mind as I could only find US requirement to isolate for 14 days for coming from a high risk area (China, Iran, Europe, UK, Ireland, etc).

You can ask your boyfriend to double check what are the current requirements in this fluid environment.

No worries, it’s probably going to happen soon.

 

[Mousey]

Hey guys, I want to thanks everyone for their replies. I’ve spoken to my boyfriend this morning and we’ve decided not to travel. So we are both hunkering down for now. He really loves me - he sent me 2 Litres of Hand Sanitiser!

 

[Mousey]

I recently returned from the US
I went for a funeral and to be there for a very close friend whose daughter it was that passed .
It was scarey as heck coming home
I travel frequently and have travelled to London after the bombings ditto with France
I won't travel back to USA for some time .
The financial risk of becoming ill over there is huge
Would I travel this week for the reason above . No I wouldn't

Hi mrsterryn, hope you are OK. What were the scary bits of your journey home?

 

[Mousey]

My sons partner is in the UK and was due to fly out in 2 weeks. They see each other less often. He cancelled. I think it will be mid September before normality starts again. Whatever that will look like. Forget anything until then.

Even sadder. My nephew works in France. His wife and two young kids live in Australia. He was here at Christmas then flew back and they were due to be holidaying in Singapore in April as a mid point between the two countries then he was returning to France and she to Australia with the babies.

If you are sad (my son was philosophical about cancelling) about waiting, imagine the grief of telling a 6 and 8 year old they won't be seeing their Dad for a total of 9 months when this thing is done. And a wife not seeing her husband for that time.

Pushka, yep, I guess a lot of these stories will emerge over the next few weeks.

 

[mrsterryn]

Hi mrsterryn, hope you are OK. What were the scary bits of your journey home?

y original flight was cancelled (I gather nothing to do with the virus but mechanical) then all the people from that flight had to be shifted onto other flights back to Aust. I was very concerned I was going to be in USA for a day or even longer than I wanted . Fortunately I was put onto a Melbourne flight and then came home that way
I just think with all the changes that are occurring daily or less the probability of you being caught in USA is high unfortunately

 

[CaptJCool]

Hey guys, I want to thanks everyone for their replies. I’ve spoken to my boyfriend this morning and we’ve decided not to travel. So we are both hunkering down for now. He really loves me - he sent me 2 Litres of Hand Sanitiser!

Welcome to AFF

and you have made the RIGHT call...

From what I’ve been reading and hearing Australia went the Asian playbook path (suppression strategy)
Targeted quarantining and isolation, test test test, social distancing
we need to reduce the average number of people that each person meets.
There are some very cheap ways to do that, like banning events with more than a certain number of people (eg, 50, 500), or asking people to work from home when they can.
Other are much, much more expensive, such as closing schools and universities, asking everybody to stay home, or closing bars and restaurants


whereas USA went THE MITIGATION strategy and will now face a terribly confronting time and lengthy LOCKDOWNS

For a deeper explanation

Coronavirus: The Hammer and the Dance

What the Next 18 Months Can Look Like, if Leaders Buy Us Time

medium.com