COVID-19: Vitality travel information
Should you travel to areas affected by COVID-19? Considering the risks around COVID-19, should you travel at all? South Africa now has a set of rules about travelling.
The virus that causes COVID-19 is highly transmissible and its swift spread has meant new hotspots presenting almost daily across the world, forcing a rethink of travel plans. Some countries have gone so far as to cancel international travel outright, in the short-term.
For Vitality members that have booked a flight through one of our Vitality travel partners
Please contact our travel partners directly, to manage all bookings and refunds. Kindly note that our travel partners are experiencing high call volumes at the moment.
For domestic flight bookings, please refer to our travel partner websites for more information or to manage your booking - kulula.com or British Airways (operated by Comair).
Please contacts us if you have queries regarding international flight bookings or refunds, as well as for local accommodation booked through Vitality Hotel Collection.
Send your email to Vitalitytravelqueries@discovery.co.za and we will assist by contacting our travel partners on your behalf.
British Airways International
Please see the Latest Travel News for updated information regarding you travel arrangements with British Airways International.
Qantas
All policies in relation to the Coronavirus and other disruptions can be found on the Coronavirus Travel Update page.
Emirates
Please see the latest Travel Updates for information regarding you travel arrangements with Emirates.
We recommend that Vitality members heed President Ramaphosa's call to limit all non-essential travel. For essential travel, members should:
- Check with the airline and accommodation provider to see if they have any travel restrictions in place and ask them about their cancellation policies.
- Check the destination's risk level and find out what type of travel or lifestyle restrictions are in place.
- Visit the websites of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for updates.
- We will update members with any information shared by our travel partners as swiftly as possible. However, please refer to partner websites directly for immediate updates.
For more information
- See the National Department of Health's Travel Advice for South Africans travelling to affected countries
- Visit the CDC's Travel Health Notices page and destination page for updates regarding these warnings
Visit the NICD website at www.nicd.ac.za for further information. For medical/clinical related queries by health care professionals only, contact the NICD Hotline +27 (0) 82 883 9920 (for use by healthcare professionals only). For laboratory related queries call the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis (011-555- 0315/7/8 or 011-555-0488).
Guidelines and case definitions are available on the NICD website
Visit the CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel for regular updates.
Discovery Vitality follows local and global guidelines on COVID-19 developed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the World Health Organization. We cannot advise our members whether they should travel or not; however, if you are planning to travel during the COVID-19 outbreak, read more here.
What you need to know
COVID-19 is caused by the 2019 coronavirus. It is most commonly transmitted through the air by coughing and sneezing, through close personal contact, or touching an object or surface with the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands. Its fast transmission rate around the world can affect international travel plans.
The South African government has discouraged all non-essential domestic travel, particularly by air, rail, taxi and bus.
In order to limit the progression of COVID-19, all South African citizens are advised to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high-risk countries such as China, Iran and South Korea. This is effective immediately.
Government will continue to regularly issue travel alerts referring to specific cities, countries or regions as the situation evolves based on the risk level, in and out of the country.
In order to limit the progression of COVID-19, all South African citizens are advised to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high-risk countries such as China, Iran and South Korea. This is effective immediately.
Government will continue to regularly issue travel alerts referring to specific cities, countries or regions as the situation evolves based on the risk level, in and out of the country.
Please contact our partners directly to manage all bookings and refunds. Our travel partners are experiencing high call volumes. For priority, please email Comair on vitalitytravel@comair.co.za with your departure date in the subject line.
Discovery Vitality follows local and global guidelines on COVID-19 developed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. World public health experts are currently advising against travel to:
- The European Union
- The United Kingdom
- Iran
- Japan
- China
- South Korea
South African citizens returning from high-risk countries will be subjected to testing and self-isolation or quarantine for 14 days or more on return to the country, even if they feel well and do not have any symptoms of illness. Government has said "travellers from medium-risk countries – such as Portugal, Hong Kong and Singapore – will be required to undergo high intensity screening. All travellers who have entered South Africa from high-risk countries since mid-February will be required to present themselves for testing".
The increasing number of infections means that many countries may be reclassified as high risk in the next few days. Visit the websites of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for ongoing updates.
No. If you have a dry cough, fever and respiratory symptoms (the primary symptoms of COVID-19), you should try to avoid travelling, especially using shared transport. If you do decide to travel by airplane, train, bus, cruise liner or other shared mode of transport and you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19, you should wear a face mask. If the symptoms of COVID-19 develop while you are travelling, it’s important to inform the transport staff and seek medical care as soon as possible.
It is not recommended that travellers wear face masks to protect themselves from COVID-19. Travellers may still choose to wear a mask, but it is more important that you follow the precautionary measures for high risk countries. Masks should be used appropriately when someone is ill and is coughing, to prevent the spread of disease carrying droplets, or by those caring for an ill person to protect themselves from contracting the illness.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using an alcohol based hand sanitiser that contains 60% to 95% alcohol. You should use soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
- It is especially important to clean your hands after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
- Supplies of hand sanitiser, tissues, and other hygiene products may be limited, so consider taking them with you.
- Pay attention to your health during travel and for 14 days after you return.
- Make sure that you follow instructions from local authorities on any local restrictions on travel, movement or large gatherings.
The way in which air circulates and is filtered on airplanes means that most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on airplanes. Although the risk of infection on an airplane is low, travellers should try to avoid close contact with sick passengers or people who are coughing, and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser that contains 60% to 95% alcohol.
- Seek medical advice. Call ahead before you go to a doctor's office or emergency room. Tell them about your recent travel history and your symptoms.
- Avoid close contact with others.
- Don't take public transportation while sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or the bend of your elbow when coughing or sneezing. Throw the tissue away at once.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoid spreading the virus to others.
- Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
- If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol based hand sanitiser that contains 60% to 95% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
If you pay for travel using your Discovery Gold, Platinum, Black or Purple Card, or a Discovery Black or Purple Debit Card, you qualify for travel insurance. This travel insurance covers the costs of your flights and accommodation in the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis before your trip, as well as medical cover in the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis during your trip. Click here to view more information on your cover for COVID-19 and to obtain the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy.
See the National Department of Health’s Travel Advice for South Africans travelling to affected countries.
Also visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Travel Health Notices page and the NICD website for updates.
For clinical questions, healthcare professionals should contact the NICD hotline: +27 82 883 9920 (healthcare professionals only).
For laboratory related queries call the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis: 011 555 0315/7/8 or 011 555 0488).