Valentine getaways were just ruined by COVID-19

While planning my "baecation" to a warm, sunny tourist destination in the Caribbean or the Pacific I saw the news release from CDC. It is official that the CDC has just placed ALL of my possible destination spots on the "no-go" list. Thank you, COVID-19!

So if you haven't seen the news bulletin from CDC a few days ago, then let me enlighten you. According to the new travel advisory from the CDC any country that recorded 500 or more cases per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days, was classified as level 4.

If you don't understand what this means, I'll explain. According to the CDC website;

1. “Level 4: Very high level of COVID-19: Avoid travel to this destination.
2. Level 3: High level of COVID-19: Make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel. Unvaccinated travelers should avoid nonessential travel to this destination.
3. Level 2: Moderate level of COVID-19: Make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel. Unvaccinated travelers who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should avoid nonessential travel to this destination. If you must travel and have concerns, talk to your doctor.
4. Level 1: Low level of COVID-19: Make sure you are fully vaccinated before traveling to this destination.”

This was taken directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you check the CDC website for this list of countries in each category, your eyes will pop out of your head. Numerous countries were added and haven't left this list since the pandemic began. The countries I am more interested in are the vacation spots. The highly recommended vacations spots on the category 4 list are:

The Caribbean islands like Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The highly recommend tourist sites like France, Maldives, Monaco, and Spain

If that's not enough, other tourist destinations that are on the category 3 list includes:

The Caribbean: Bahamas, Bermuda, Curacao, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Maarten and Turks and Caicos.

South America: Brazil, Argentina

Central America: Mexico, El Salvador

Asia and Pacific: Thailand

I am disappointed, not Valentine getaway

After a year of getting to understand what the Covid-19 virus is about. Then the establishment of guidelines to safely protect against the spread and decrease the infection rate, I thought we can finally get to experience the world together. On top of it all, every year there seems to be another new variant that’s a bit smart than the last. Just like that my first Valentine married, is destined for a new twist on “date night at home”.

Because even restaurants and hang-out spots will be pressured to regress into the dark days of 2020 and 2021 shut down or limitations. Many persons are becoming skeptical about flying to other cities and booking hotels. I'm sure many of you reading this also share my concerns.

I know I seem to be ranting and complaining when I should be thankful that I am healthy and covid-19. But I am extremely grateful for life and health and I salute the persons daily battling on the frontlines.

After following all the restrictions and guidelines established by the professionals I hoped for things to at least be normalizing by now. With vaccines available and protective gears for every age, I expected the world to be at an advantage now. But none of it is so.

Not only are the Valentine Baecations placed on hold. More importantly, many persons cannot afford to keep their jobs, their homes and children are deprived of the well-rounded education we all had. And that is sad.

It is time to get things back to normal! Can children have the opportunity to go back to school and receive the quality education they deserve? Can we have the opportunity to go out and have a walk on a cool night? Or to do something special with family and friends without fear of infection. Can we get back to a time when booking a flight to somewhere special?

It's time people understand the effects of remote learning on children. How the children are deprived of the well-rounded education they are deserving of?

Do you know how we can get things back to normal?

It's time that eve3ryone feels the responsibility for the persons next to them. If you haven't learned anything from this pandemic you should learn that. This pandemic has proven time and time again, that the decision of 1 person affects the lives of everyone around them. If you haven't realized then look around.

Though you may be vaccinated and adhere to guidelines, many have not been doing so. This is 1 of the contributing factors to the continued spread of Covid-19 around the world and right in your neighborhood. Therefore, let us all do the responsible thing and encourage others around us to be responsible.

Stop the spread of Covid-19. Get our children back into the learning environment.

Thank you for reading.