Traveling into the Abyss: Risk Perception of German Travelers at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Oct;103(4):1640-1641. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0892.

Abstract

The emergence and international spread of SARS-CoV-2 led to unprecedented challenges for international travelers including health-related concerns and international travel restrictions. Remarkably, overseas travelers consulted at our travel clinic during the first quarter of 2020 were apparently not disconcerted by the evolving pandemic with a continuously high rate of consultations at our center; 85% of travelers did not actively inquire about COVID-19 during the pretravel consultation including individuals with clinically significant immunosuppression constituting a high-risk group for COVID-19-related adverse health outcome. This experience demonstrates the societal responsibility of travel medicine practitioners to proactively provide unbiased information about the health-related and travel-related impact of newly emerging infections.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Asia / epidemiology
  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / psychology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Female
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host*
  • Male
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / psychology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Referral and Consultation / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk Assessment
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Travel / psychology*
  • Travel / statistics & numerical data
  • Travel Medicine / statistics & numerical data