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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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,

How come?

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.

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.

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.