What travelers need to know about the coronavirus

Introduction

The new coronavirus disease, scientifically named COVID-19, was first detected in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, at the end of December 2019. By the middle of March 2020, the virus had become a pandemic and had spread to more than 140 countries, areas, and territories on six continents, infecting over 150,000 people and leading to the deaths of thousands.

To limit the spread of the virus, countries throughout the world are closing their borders to foreign nationals and asking that their people stay home in isolation. Health authorities are asking everyone to avoid non-essential air travel and cruise travel.

As hard as it may be, in this context, travelers need to stay put.

But spending time at home does not have to be a time of boredom and anxiety. Not all the news out there is bad. China is closing its temporary hospitals after weeks of fighting the virus. The people of Italy and Spain are finding ways to have fun, socialize, and keep smiling despite the isolation; and the penguins of Chicago's Shedd Aquarium are enjoying some breathing space without the crowds.

To keep up your spirits and keep a clear head as this health crisis unfolds, we’re compiling relevant news coverage to the coronavirus, as well as some feel-good stories from around the world so that travelers stuck at home may stay informed, and stay hopeful.

Latest News

News

Lions in South Africa’s Kruger National Park Are Taking Over Empty Roads and Golf Courses

Apr 17, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Dogs May Be Trained to Sniff Out Coronavirus to Help Stop the Spread

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Princess Sofia of Sweden Will Assist Medical Workers During the Pandemic

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

The Vancouver Aquarium Could Close Permanently Because of COVID-19

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Tonight, the American Flag Is Being Projected Onto the Matterhorn in a Display of Solidarity

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Celebrity Chef José Andrés Promises Doctors and Nurses Will Eat for Free at His Restaurants for the Rest of 2020

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Emirates Rolls Out Rapid Pre-Flight COVID-19 Tests for Passengers

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

The US Airline Industry Will Receive a $25 Billion Bailout

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

New York Governor Orders Everyone to Wear Masks in Public

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

99-Year-Old British Army Veteran Raised Over $17 Million for Health Services

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

UK Travel Industry Unites to Give Healthcare Workers Free Vacations

Apr 15, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Conspiracy Theorists Are Setting Fire to 5G Cell Phone Towers They Believe Are Linked to the COVID-19 Crisis

Apr 14, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Austria Is the First European Country to Ease Coronavirus Lockdown Measures

Apr 14, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Australian Couple Mistakenly Fined $1,000 Each for Violating Lockdown

Apr 14, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Lego Is Making 13,000 Face Visors a Day for Hospital Workers in Denmark

Apr 14, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

United Airlines Flew a Team of Health Workers From San Francisco to NYC to Help Battle Coronavirus

Apr 14, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Japan Airport Sets Up Cardboard Beds for Incoming Travelers Awaiting COVID-19 Test Results

Apr 13, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Drone Footage of Cape Town, South Africa, Shows an Entirely Empty City

Apr 13, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Unfazed by Coronavirus Fears, Cruise Bookings Are Up for 2021

Apr 13, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Conspiracy Theorists Are Setting Fire to 5G Cell Phone Towers They Believe Are Linked to the COVID-19 Crisis

Apr 14, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

In These Locked-Down Cities, Animals Are Taking Over the Vacant Streets

Apr 10, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Amid Worldwide Lockdowns, Seismic Noise Has Gone Way Down

Apr 10, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Iconic San Francisco Bookstore Facing Closure Raises Over $451,000 in Just Three Days

Apr 13, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

All-Girl Afghan Robotics Team Builds Ventilator Out of Car Parts

Apr 9, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Himalayas Visible From Northern India as COVID-19 Lockdown Dramatically Reduces Pollution

Apr 9, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

China Is Gradually Reopening After a Months-Long Lockdown, but It’s Already Raising Major Safety Concerns

Apr 9, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Delta’s New Cancellation Policy Allows Passengers to Rebook for Two Years

Apr 9, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

The World’s Best Restaurant Prepares Thousands of Meals for Front-Line Workers

Apr 8, 2020
Elisabeth Sherman
News

New Zealand’s Strong Response to the Coronavirus Crisis Is Already Paying Off

Apr 8, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Spain to Establish Basic Income to Help Citizens Through the Coronavirus Pandemic

Apr 8, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Several European Countries Eyeing Tentative Return to Normalcy

Apr 7, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

These Charts Show the Dramatic Decline of Traffic in Cities Around the World

Apr 7, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Donate Your Ski Goggles to Medical Workers on the Front Lines

Apr 6, 2020
Tim Wenger
News

Tonight, the American Flag Is Being Projected Onto the Matterhorn in a Display of Solidarity

Apr 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
Activism

This Facebook Group Is Helping Medical Workers Self-Isolate by Matching Them With Unused RVs

Apr 6, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Ireland’s Prime Minister Is Returning to Medicine Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

Apr 6, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Airlines Must Refund Passengers for Canceled Flights During the COVID-19 Crisis

Apr 6, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

110,000 Restaurants Expected to Permanently Close in the United States

Apr 3, 2020
Nickolaus Hines
News

Unemployment in the US Spikes as the Coronavirus Crisis Unfolds

Apr 3, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Atlanta Medical Workers Fly to NYC to Aid in the Fight Against Coronavirus

Apr 3, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

The New England Patriots Team Plane Is Carrying 1.2 Million Surgical Masks From China

Apr 2, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

US Coast Guard Orders Cruise Ships With Sick Passengers to Remain at Sea Indefinitely

Apr 2, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

With ‘Suspended Shopping’ Italians Are Paying It Forward During the Coronavirus Crisis

Apr 2, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Drone Footage Captures ‘Isolation Disco’ Party in Newcastle

Apr 2, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Real ID Deadline Extended by One Year

Apr 1, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

TSA Checkpoint Numbers Show Just How Few People Are Traveling Right Now

Apr 1, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Mountain Goats Are Taking Over This Welsh Town During Lockdown

Apr 1, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

The International Center of Photography Wants to See Your Pandemic Photos

Apr 1, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Cell Phone Data Reveals Which Americans Are Staying at Home and Which Ones Aren’t

Mar 31, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Famous Abbey Road Crosswalk Is Being Repainted During the Coronavirus Lockdown

Mar 31, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Pilots Are Spelling Out Messages in the Sky During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Mar 31, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Portugal Grants Migrants and Asylum Seekers Permanent Resident Rights During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Mar 31, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Oakland and Other Cities Are Converting Hotels Into Housing for the Homeless

Mar 31, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Social Distancing Measures Are Slowly Paying Off in Italy, San Francisco, and Elsewhere Around the World

Mar 31, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Four Dead, Nearly 200 With Flu-Like Symptoms on Cruise Ship En Route to Florida

Mar 30, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Airbnb Is Offering Free Housing to 100,000 COVID-19 Responders

Mar 30, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

The Smithsonian Channel Released 68 Free ‘Aerial America’ Episodes for a Hefty Dose of Isolation Escapism

Mar 30, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics Are Officially Postponed to 2021

Mar 30, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Drone Footage of San Francisco Captures an Eerie, Empty City

Mar 30, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Italian Mayors Are Losing It and Yelling at People for Ignoring Lockdown Rules

Mar 27, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Rugby Commentator Hilariously Narrates Everyday Life as Virus Cancels All Sporting Events

Mar 26, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Four Seasons Hotel in NYC Is Offering Free Rooms to Medical Workers

Mar 26, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

This Cowboy Museum’s Security Guard Is Now in Charge of Social Media, and His Posts Will Have You Laughing

Mar 25, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Ryan Reynolds’ Liquor Brand Is Donating Part of Its Proceeds to Out-of-Work Bartenders

Mar 25, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

National Parks Are Closing to Slow the Coronavirus Outbreak

Mar 24, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Some State Parks Are Being Turned Into Quarantine Zones for COVID-19 Patients

Mar 24, 2020
Eben Diskin
Food + Drink

You Should Be Shopping at Asian Groceries During the Coronavirus Crisis -- and Long After

Mar 24, 2020
Matthew Meltzer
Family Travel

How People Are Coping With Being Far From Family When Borders Are Closed

Mar 23, 2020
Noelle Alejandra Salmi
Wellness

10 Simple Ways to Help Your Local Community Combat Coronavirus

Mar 23, 2020
Georgina Guthrie
News

Millions of Tulips Destroyed in the Netherlands as Coronavirus Cuts Demand

Mar 23, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Mallorca Police Put on an Uplifting Concert for Citizens in Lockdown

Mar 23, 2020
Eben Diskin
Lifestyle

Across the US, Students Confront College Life Without a Campus

Mar 23, 2020
Matthew Meltzer
News

Canada and Australia Officially Withdraw From the Olympics

Mar 23, 2020
Eben Diskin
Wellness

Local Craft Distilleries Are the New, Unexpected Heroes in the Fight Against COVID-19

Mar 20, 2020
Matthew Meltzer
News

TV Medical Dramas Are Donating Their Supplies to Hospitals

Mar 20, 2020
Eben Diskin
Restaurants + Bars

How You Can Help Hospitality Workers Affected by COVID-19

Mar 19, 2020
Matthew Meltzer
News

Independent Bookshops in England Are Offering Home Delivery During the Coronavirus Crisis

Mar 19, 2020
Eben Diskin
Travel

What Travel Bans Mean for the Australians Who Needed Tourism After Summer Bushfires

Mar 19, 2020
Renee Skelton
News

Customer Leaves $9,400 Tip to Help Houston Restaurant Through the Coronavirus Closure

Mar 19, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

During Lockdown, People Get Creative With Workouts, Bingo, and Dance Sessions

Mar 18, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Norway’s Prime Minister Holds a Coronavirus Press Conference Just for Children

Mar 18, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Kentucky Derby Postponed Until September Amid the Coronavirus Health Crisis

Mar 17, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Two Children Put on a Cello Concert for Their Elderly Neighbor in Self-Isolation

Mar 17, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Customer Leaves $2,500 Tip at This Ohio Bar Before Its Closure Due to the Coronavirus

Mar 17, 2020
Eben Diskin
Food + Drink

José Andrés Is Converting Closed Restaurants Into Community Kitchens

Mar 17, 2020
Elisabeth Sherman
News

Hotels Throughout the World Could Be Converted Into Hospitals for Coronavirus Patients

Mar 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Chicago Aquarium Lets Penguins Meet Other Animals During Coronavirus Closure

Mar 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

John Oliver Urges People to Take 30 Seconds to Selfishly Complain About the Coronavirus

Mar 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

French Luxury Brand LVMH Is Using Its Factories to Make Hand Sanitizer

Mar 16, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

What Travelers Need to Know About the Coronavirus Outbreak

Mar 19, 2020
Morgane Croissant
News

Everest Closes to Climbers, Nepal Suspends Tourist Visas

Mar 16, 2020
Tim Wenger
News

Disney Is Closing All Its Theme Parks Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Mar 13, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Italians in Lockdown in Siena Come Together in Song

Mar 13, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

From an American in Europe, Here’s What This New Travel Ban Means

Mar 12, 2020
Matthew Meltzer
News

Princess Cruises Cancels All Voyages for Two Months

Mar 12, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Broadway Goes Dark, and Other NYC Cultural Institutions to Shut Their Doors

Mar 12, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

For the First Time in Over 250 Years, New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Is Postponed

Mar 12, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Coachella and Stagecoach Are Officially Postponed Over Coronavirus

Mar 11, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Canceled Over Coronavirus Fears

Mar 9, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

South by Southwest Canceled Over Coronavirus

Mar 6, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

No, You Can’t Make Hand Sanitizer With Vodka

Mar 5, 2020
Nickolaus Hines
News

The Louvre, Closed Due to Coronavirus Fears, Has Just Reopened

Mar 4, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

US Universities Are Canceling Study Abroad Programs Over Coronavirus

Mar 3, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Museums and Tourist Attractions Closed Due to Coronavirus Reopen in Italy

Mar 2, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Senior Official Says Olympics 'Probably Looking at Cancellation' if Tokyo Can’t Host

Feb 25, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Belgium Is Asking Its Citizens to Register Online Before Traveling Due to Coronavirus Fears

Feb 25, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Austria Will Stop People Suspected of Carrying the Coronavirus at the Border

Feb 25, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Coronavirus Cases Escalate in Italy, Ending the Venice Carnival Early

Feb 24, 2020
Tim Wenger
News

As Coronavirus Spreads, Kyoto Launches Campaign to Bring Back Tourists

Feb 24, 2020
Alex Bresler
News

South Korea at Highest Alert Level Due to Sharp Rise in Coronavirus Cases

Feb 24, 2020
Morgane Croissant
News

This Misleading Map of the Coronavirus Sparked Unfounded Panic

Feb 19, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

NYC Launches Campaign to Help Chinatown Businesses Hurt by Coronavirus Fears

Feb 13, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Airbnb Freezes Bookings in Beijing Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Feb 13, 2020
Eben Diskin
Airports + Flying

Cathay Pacific Cuts Nine International Routes Over Coronavirus Fears

Feb 7, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Six-Hour Customs Lines at US Airports Due to Coronavirus Screening

Feb 4, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Volunteers Are Breaking Into Homes in Wuhan to Rescue Abandoned Pets

Feb 4, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Chinese Residents on Lockdown Are Passing Time in Some Pretty Creative Ways

Jan 31, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

The New Coronavirus Will Have a Major Impact on Global Travel

Jan 30, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

Airlines Are Canceling Flights to China Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Jan 29, 2020
Eben Diskin
News

First Case of Deadly Chinese Coronavirus Reported in the US

Jan 21, 2020
Eben Diskin