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Don’t know whether to go to Florida for vacation this week

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by motoryachtlover, Mar 12, 2020.

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  1. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    Was planning on driving to Sarasota from VA to stay on the boat for 10 days or so. Would be appreciative of the forums opinions on whether you all would consider this to be irresponsible in light of covid 19. Don’t know if in a weeks time travel from one state to another could be banned. I am not retired so still have business to manage. Thanks for your time
  2. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

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    The best place to be safe from the Corona Virus, I could think of, is the splendid isolation on my boat. Stock up provisions, water and fuel and go on the hook in a bay or go on cruise, if the weather permits. If You are online, You can home office any time.

    Me and my family are under isolation at home by the local authorities at the moment, just because a family member (my grandson) was in contact with somebody infected with this virus (his children doctor). We have been tested twice now, none of us got the virus but we are still not released. That I can tell You, really hinders business.

    I would rather have Your choise, Sir.
  3. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    Thanks for your response. I hope you get my choice soon.
  4. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    No one can tell you as the other side is being away from your business which may need you or involve major decisions. It's our businesses that right now preclude us traveling. Otherwise we'd be on a boat that we could self sustain for a couple of months and cruising the Caribbean. But family, friends, and employees keep us home.
  5. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    Thanks for your input.
  6. dennismc

    dennismc Senior Member

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    If there were 5000 dead from regular flu would you travel ? I know it's a hard decision specially flying in this situation if one has to.
  7. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Or the roughly 15000 who died from H1N1 back in 2009... in this country alone.

    some stores in Miami are being swamped, parking lots full. Etc
  8. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    Driving not flying. Yes I would probably travel if 5000 had died from regular flu as I think that is the lower than the annual death rate from regular flu. I got troubled with making the decision when this morning (had planned to leave tomorrow) it seems that the Covid 19 problem appears to be accelerating at a good pace in the US. One of the problems for me is the divergence of expert opinions and the media now seems to split into conservative and liberal media with an agenda to protect their chosen ideology, thus, the information is tainted. Leaving me and most likely others to not knowing if this is a big deal or in a month or so from now it will be an afterthought. I am starting to believe this is going to be a big deal.
  9. captainwjm

    captainwjm Senior member

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    I'm not a medical expert, but I do listen to them. Your decision should be influenced by your, and your family's age, general health and acceptance of risk. As you travel, can you be relatively confident that the people and places you interact with are virus free? Gas stations, restaurants, rest rooms, motel rooms, etc. And, what if you do feel sick, are you willing to risk going to a random emergency room or doc-in-the-box? Could you be a carrier of the disease back home because of exposure along the road?

    We don't have travel plans, but we do have family and friends planning to come visit with us in the next month/six weeks. Probably the grand kids won't be coming as things stand now since the area they live in is, so far, free from confirmed cases and they'd have to fly through airports where some infected with the virus have traveled. Adult friends from here in Florida probably will come, but we'll discuss with them as the date nears. Adult child in Oregon won't because of severe infestation there and the long plane trip. Adult child in Tennessee will decide closer to her travel date, but again plane travel is already an issue. There is no certain answer, but this is looking worse every day.
  10. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I can see the concern about flying but driving? Interstate travel isn’t going to be shut down.

    the number of cases will rise and accelerate as testing increases but so far the number of deaths isn’t rising much.

    back in 2009 about 15000 Americans died from H1N1. Look it up on the CDC website. We re nowhere near these levels...

    Cutting travel from China worked and now the European travel ban will help as well. If Europe had cut China travel early, it would have been a lot easier to contain

    Just read there are 5 positive results on a cruise ship that was turned away from Barbados, it s heading to Nassau where authorities have pledged to provide humanitarian aid but not let anyone off.
  11. captainwjm

    captainwjm Senior member

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    Pascal, as you ae probably aware, I respect your knowledge on all things boating, but, respectfully, I think it's time for you to change the channel.
  12. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    What do you disagree with? That interstate travel will not be disrupted ?

    That cutting travel from China didn’t work? Look at where Europe is now...

    the death toll from H1N1?
    https://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/cdcresponse.htm
  13. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Well, the CDC says it's a big deal when their leaders are allowed to speak. It's definitely become a big deal in some locales and certain states. Florida went from 19 to 30 overnight. Obviously 30 isn't much but that reflects the rate of acceleration and keep in mind this is with very little testing.

    It's ironic right now as we fear travelers from Italy, that in the US we have more cases attributable to travelers from Egypt. There was a Nile River cruise where persons had it. Also interesting that personal contact within the US has more US patients than any travel. Right now more cases in the New Rochelle cluster at 113 than any others then 85 by personal contact,
  14. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    30 cases in Fl and how many deaths?

    In Miami it is now mass hysteria. Stores are being swamped just like before a hurricane. We re in the middle of provisioning for a 5 week Exuma trip and we re glad we did most of it earlier this weeks. Yo can’t even find parking at some markets. Even a small seafood store we use had a line out the door. N
  15. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    How come?
  16. DOCKMASTER

    DOCKMASTER Senior Member

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    The reason the number of "cases" is so low is because the US doesn't have enough tests. Most states have a few hundred at best and it takes two kits for each test. This is keeping the number of "cases" artificially low. They won't test anyone until you end up hospitalized and on your death bed.
  17. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    We have not idea how many have the virus. We don't even know how many have died from it and been just listed as pneumonia.

    Why Miami like it is? Perhaps hurricane experience. There is nothing wrong with people going out and stocking up on essentials so they could stay home for a while if they were required or chose to. Have people gone overboard? Yes, they always do. However, it makes sense to be prepared and to shop while things are seemingly safe.
    YachtForums likes this.
  18. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    My point. So since we all agree the actual number of infected subjects is much higher, this means the death rate is much lower and in line with the flu or H1N1.

    testing is a problem. If someone think they are infected, their doctor will send them to a hospital where they will be waiting in a room full of possibly infected people. Would you do that if you had mild symptoms? I wouldn’t ! I d stay home till it goes away
  19. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    it s one thing to pick up a few groceries but when places like publix and Traders joe have full parking lots?
  20. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Easy, have the groceries delivered to the marina. THIS is what I would do right now, even if it costs a tiny bit more. Then you're only dealing with one person. Right now FL has only 36 infected (that we know of) but the odds are fairly low of contracting it at this point if you drive and keep your contacts with other people low I think. Then go out on your boat away from everyone hehehe.