Traveling into the abyss: Risk perception of German travelers at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic
Description
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. Copyright © 2020 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Article; coronavirus disease 2019; emporiatrics; epidemiological data; health care; high risk population; human; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; vaccination; adult; Asia; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus infection; emporiatrics; female; Germany; immunocompromised patient; immunology; male; pandemic; pathogenicity; patient referral; psychology; risk assessment; travel; virology; virus pneumonia; Adult; Asia; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections; Female; Germany; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Male; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Referral and Consultation; Risk Assessment; Travel; Travel Medicine