14/04/2020

For the latest official updates regarding travel, please use this link: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
 
The information on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website is constantly reviewed. The latest advice: 'Avoid all non-essential travel indefinitely.'

PINNT would like to stress that no one dependent on artificial nutrition should be booking a trip. It doesn't stop you thinking 'where next' or 'where will be spend our first post COVID-19 trip', that's healthy.

As per our original feature on 27 February, we discussed the potential of being stranded and not having access to vital nutrition fluids and support, until such times that safe travel. Now we are all in a position of being unable to leave our homes or with extreme caution. Please do not consider booking or planning any holidays until we are in a safe situation where you can apply your usual safety network when you arrange a trip or holiday. Every aspect of our current suspect network is being tested and pushed to the limits; do not add to this by wanting to travel at the first opportunity. We know, for many people travelling is important, it's a feel good factor or necessary to see family and friends. What is key now is your safety and that of those around you. While we are being asked to stay at home to protect our NHS, stay at home to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. When the time is right, you can plan a trip but currently please don't be tempted to book anything until you know it's safe and you can access the usual homecare and medical letters and pre medical chat regarding suitability to travel.


27 February 2020

Further to the enquiries we have had, more so since the news of the outbreak in Tenerife, we offer the following:

• There is no change to any holiday or travel service offered by your homecare provider. If you don’t know what that is, ask now!
• If you have chosen to book a holiday abroad then we hope you’ve followed the advice we give which is to purchase travel insurance as soon as you’ve booked your holiday. You need to insure against every potential reason for a claim, which may occur prior to the trip itself.
• If you are due to travel and have not yet purchased travel insurance, then do so immediately in case further countries are added to the restricted list.
• We advocate once again that anyone travelling must take a medical letter, a letter from their homecare provider as well as a copy of the prescription for the nutrition you/your child receives.
• Check the terms and conditions of your policy; see what you’re covered for, this is something we strongly advocate, it’s not about the price of the policy it’s about the cover it offers.
• Most policies will not cover epidemics or pandemics unless the advice is not to travel to certain countries. 
• Carefully consider your/ child’s known dependency on either enteral (tube feeding/EN) or parenteral nutrition (HPN/PN): Consider the impact of an outbreak on your holiday. Currently the initial quarantine period is 14 days, given the way this virus is evolving, this timeline could change, it could be extended if further outbreaks occur in your holiday setting. Consider how this will impact on your ability to access further supplies of your EN or PN fluids and ancillaries. If abroad, it is extremely unlikely that you will be able to access supplies locally or have them sent to you from the UK from your homecare company or your hospital.
• Who decides if you travel abroad? If you have booked a holiday, or are planning one, you need to consider all current information and make an informed decision based on what you know and your/ child’s known needs.
• Who decides if you travel within the UK? The advice is the same as above. However, if you are within the UK it will be easier to obtain on-going supplies from your usual supplier. Obviously, all official guidance must be followed.

We recognise that members elect to say in various types of holiday accommodation; hotels, villas, apartments as well as their own holiday homes. The advice remains the same. If you are travelling independently and will not have the support of a tour operator, think ahead and plan for all possible eventualities.
 
Government websites for the latest advice and travel information:
 
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/new-coronavirus-advice-service-provision?

fbclid=IwAR3sazcZ6bNbBiWeEWFn9C1N5tgqF-AJn-DMQ5R0xFfpz1xKO_5gqhPzJXQ

https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/wuhan-novel-coronavirus/
 
https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/

Information correct on 27.02.2020 - keep yourself informed!

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