Corona Virus - Staying put or going home ?

Aisling12 Active member

43POSTS

6 years ago

Hey all,
Just wondering what people think is best to do during this uncertain time. I personally am going back to Ireland until things have calmed down a bit. I´m afraid Germany will be in a similar situation as Italy soon and I won´t be able to leave my apartment! I´d prefer to be with my family.

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TominStuttgart Germany Expert

2807POSTS

6 years ago

Germany is closing land borders already except for essential travel. I think flights within Europe are screened but some still happening but who knows for how long. The question people might ask if they will get stuck if they are away from where they reside. And don’t expect things to be much different in Ireland, maybe just a short time lapse behind countries like Italy and Germany. But any guess about how long things might take or what conditions might come up are all speculation; things are changing on a daily basis.

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Aisling12 Active member

43POSTS

6 years ago

Citizens will always be allowed back to their home countrys. Its just a matter of getting a flight, I have one booked for tomorrow evening..I think in Irelands case major flight restrictions will start next week. I still have an internship in Berlin though and I am paying rent here so I hope I will be back in Summer!

SimCityAT Expert

13815POSTS

6 years ago

Aisling12 wrote:
Citizens will always be allowed back to their home countrys. Its just a matter of getting a flight, I have one booked for tomorrow evening..I think in Irelands case major flight restrictions will start next week. I still have an internship in Berlin though and I am paying rent here so I hope I will be back in Summer!

Be prepared to be self-isolated for a couple of weeks though if you do manage to get to Ireland.

Aisling12 Active member

43POSTS

6 years ago

To be honest I think the whole country will be self isolating soon anyway

TominStuttgart Germany Expert

2807POSTS

6 years ago

Aisling12 wrote:
Citizens will always be allowed back to their home countrys. Its just a matter of getting a flight, I have one booked for tomorrow evening..I think in Irelands case major flight restrictions will start next week. I still have an internship in Berlin though and I am paying rent here so I hope I will be back in Summer!

Not true. Citizens always have a theoretical legal right to travel to their country but safety takes precedence. Period. I couldn’t get back to Europe from the USA when the Icelandic volcano blew up in 2010. All flights got shut down, no exceptions due to people’s citizenship. And they have found that merely screening people if they have a fever is far from enough to keep this virus from spreading since people can already be contagious without having any symptoms. And people are always crowded in airplanes. Land border closures now implemented in Germany have exceptions for absolute essential travel and Trump’s ban on Europeans didn’t include returning Americans or US residents - but such things can change at a moment’s notice.

beppi Germany/Singapore Expert

15647POSTS

6 years ago

I have non-European friends who were scheduled to move back to their country in two days. A few days ago (on very short notice) they were told they cannot return for three months. A family with two small kids, stranded here on packed bags.
Another non-European friend here, whose husband and child were supposed to join her soon, will now have to wait for an unknown time longer - with no chance to even visit.
But the real tragedies are those who die.

3 members reacted to this post

Aisling12 Active member

43POSTS

6 years ago

wow crazy I can´t wait to get back to Ireland now before the situation gets worse !

Brit_Bryant New member

3POSTS

6 years ago

#10

Hey Aisling12! Safe travels! And be careful on your way home.

I feel like the situation is worse in Germany, but that doesn't mean that it can't turn bad in Ireland soon. But I agree it's always better to be with family at times like this.

henryor Member

13POSTS

6 years ago

#11

Hi Aisling, I was meant to move to Germany for an Internship but its looking like it won´t be going ahead. So I will be staying put at home. Very understandable given the circumstances..disapointing none the less but I most certainly am not near the worst affected by this pandemic

Aisling12 Active member

43POSTS

6 years ago

#12

Hi Brit..thank you! Safely back in Ireland now. Yes the situation is a little worse in Germany for now but realistically the virus is pretty much everywhere in the coming weeks every country will be under strain! Especially Ireland we have an extreme shortage of ICU beds to tackle this crisis. Definitely better to be with family during times like this !

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