Stressing about WA coronavirus

This is more a vent ....now coronavirus is taking hold in Washington where we're due to get married in four and a half weeks. I can't believe this, I'm really worried that we won't be able to travel on 19/3 if things get worse   someone wave a magic wand please!

This is more a vent ....now coronavirus is taking hold in Washington where we're due to get married in four and a half weeks. I can't believe this, I'm really worried that we won't be able to travel on 19/3 if things get worse   someone wave a magic wand please!

I don't think either the UK or the US really have any hope of containment, as both countries have had community infections with unknown contact, so it's in the wild.  That being the case, travel restriction seems a bit useless.  Halting flights would be like closing the barn door after the horses all bolted.  I expect you'll be free to travel.  Just be sure to wash your hands frequently, avoid being too near to obviously ill people, and don't touch your face.

I don't think either the UK or the US really have any hope of containment, as both countries have had community infections with unknown contact, so it's in the wild.  That being the case, travel restriction seems a bit useless.  Halting flights would be like closing the barn door after the horses all bolted.  I expect you'll be free to travel.  Just be sure to wash your hands frequently, avoid being too near to obviously ill people, and don't touch your face.

So... as the horses run off into the sunset, the US seems to be closing those barn doors.  As of today, travel to the US is still possible from the UK, but not from Europe, it seems.  I'm not sure what advice to give you at this point.  I'm sorry.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51846923

  As of today, travel to the US is still possible from the UK, but not from Europe, it seems. 

Europe is a continent of about 44 countries. The UK is in Europe. https://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-in-europe/

The US travel ban seems to about the 26, open border, countries of the Schengen area. The UK never agreed to join Schengen. The Republic of Ireland too: which has the Common Travel Area for the UK, in place long before the UK and RoI joined the EU; has never joined the Schengen "open borders" either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area

Some members of the 27 countries of the European Union have agreed to join Schengen, or have it forced on them when they joined the EU. 
All of the 3 EEA countries are in Schengen. Switzerland, who is not in the EU or EEA, are also part of the Schengen (open borders) area.. 
https://www.gov.uk/eu-eea

Europe is a continent of about 44 countries. The UK is in Europe. https://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-in-europe/

The US travel ban seems to about the 26, open border, countries of the Schengen area. The UK never agreed to join Schengen. The Republic of Ireland too: which has the Common Travel Area for the UK, in place long before the UK and RoI joined the EU; has never joined the Schengen "open borders" either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area

Some members of the 27 countries of the European Union have agreed to join Schengen, or have it forced on them when they joined the EU. 
All of the 3 EEA countries are in Schengen. Switzerland, who is not in the EU or EEA, are also part of the Schengen (open borders) area.. 
https://www.gov.uk/eu-eea

Thank you for that basic geopolitical lesson, Sirius, but I do think we all understand that we often use the term "Europe" colloquially to refer to "over here, but not-UK".  I mean, all the major news outlets are using the term this way for this particular news story.

Obviously hugely concerned about the orange one banning UK now and my flight is in exactly 6 days.

My parents have confirmed they won't be attending the wedding which is understandable and I basically encouraged it considering they're in their mid 60s and my father has high blood pressure. But devastating nonetheless. This was supposed to one of the best weeks of my life.

I will be going if I can and then keeping my fingers crossed that govt offices stay open for getting the marriage licence when I arrive.

If WA govt offices shut down. We're thinking of other possibilities..... Road trip to Nevada, California or Idaho for example. But is this even possible? I suppose Nevada has the slackest rules

Are you able to postpone for a bit?  From what I understand from family, everything is shutting down until the end of the month right now.  Would you be able to reschedule for April or May?

Big hugs.  No one could have foreseen this. 

We eloped and that was 100% our choice and we are happy with it.  But you guys want your family and loved ones there.  I want you to still make that happen! 

Or, rather than postponing, can you fly this weekend and try to get married Monday or Tuesday?  Then follow through with whatever ceremony plans you have, but at least the legal part is secured.

As of the last I'd heard, US citizens flying to the USA were being asked to self-quarantine for 2 weeks. There is no telling when that won't be a voluntary situation.

This all just bites, but can you postpone until more of the initial hysteria has passed and things settle out a bit? The airlines are being extremely good about cancellation or change fees being waived right now.

I'm so sorry this happened to ruin your special day. 

The Guardian & Sky News has just updated to say that the ban is to be extended to the UK and Ireland so I guess the options would be to either delay or fly out asap before the ban but risk quarantine    I really feel for your situation.

The Guardian & Sky News has just updated to say that the ban is to be extended to the UK and Ireland so I guess the options would be to either delay or fly out asap before the ban but risk quarantine    I really feel for your situation.

Apparently UK and Irish nationals have until Monday at midnight before the ban goes into effect. I would hazard a guess that any available tickets will now be so excruciatingly expensive that it won't be feasible for the OP to continue on to the USA.

Just rotten luck, all around, for her.   

Total change of plans. She's coming here, flying in 6 hours to be here on a tourist visa before all borders close so at least we can be together for at least the next few months then do a summer ceremony

Yikes!  I wouldn't have done that.....  hopefully she'll be allowed to enter the country.

Please keep in mind that she CANNOT use the NHS.  I hope she has EXTRAORDINARY travel insurance for this, as I would think booking the flight after this has been declared a pandemic would make her insurance null and void....  I don't think this is a wise move, but it's easy for me to think of this as an outsider.

Yeah, I would second this.  I know you guys want to hurry up and get hitched, but she could get stuck here for quite a while. As in many months. I am not convinced the Donald won't throw the borders into a hard lockdown - nobody at all in.

And while she could use the NHS in an emergency, she'll be a paying patient for anything else - assuming they can do anything for her if she gets ill while here. The NHS may be on overload, if the virus thing goes badly. I'm actually not sure she'd be in a better position if she was in the USA at that point, though.  Medical care in the USA ain't cheap, and if it goes badly  they'll probably be in worse overload there than if she's here relying on the the NHS. Assuming she doesn't have health insurance that covers her over here.  It might actually be cheaper to pay cash for care here, if not. Assuming it's needed and available.   

But...  If she makes it in, I hope you guys have some wonderful times together.    Might be a good time to go out into the countryside and stay somewhere quiet, take lots of long walks, and enjoy the time together. While true love may not really conquer all, it can sure help in a battle.

Let us know if she gets in.

You can’t beat a bit of romance! Good luck and all the best to the two of you.