It was a dream come true. My travel agency was selected for a sponsored trip of travel to the land of the rising sun. Free airfare, hotels, meals, curated itinerary, attraction tickets, and priceless memories.
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Then on Jan. 8, 2020, CDC released a health advisory on the outbreak of Pneumonia in Wuhan, China. It doesn't take a genius to know it is threatening. Why would the CDC be alarmed with Wuhan, regardless of its proximity?
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But I had second thoughts on traveling when Wuhan was placed on quarantine on January 23rd as air and rail departures were suspended. Although I am traveling to Japan, I am concerned that Japan may follow through since they are close by, only separated by Korea. I don't want to be lockdown in a foreign country.
10 Tips for Traveling Safely Abroad
Since I registered my trip with the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), I am receiving important information from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. The embassy released a health alert on the Conoronavirus outbreak in China on January 23rd (no mention of the quarantine, so the alert could have been released before the quarantine). But I was determined to cancel my trip when the State Department released a level 4 Do Not Travel Alert to China on Jan. 31st. Japan is too close to China to ignore the travel alert. Too obvious that the coronavirus is an emerging global crisis.
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Since it was a sponsored trip, I will pay a fine for canceling the trip. But my health is worth more than any wealth. It is my responsibility to stay healthy for my family, friends, my profession, and most of all, to myself.
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