But for Matthew and Catherine Walden in Mountain View, their anniversary to Milan turned into a nightmare.
“The night we arrived in Italy, I woke up with a fever in the middle of the night,” Matthew said.
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The next morning, Matthew tested positive for COVID-19, although he and his wife had been tested twice and both were vaccinated 24 hours before leaving.
Now, they are trapped in a hotel and isolated for 10 to 21 days, depending on how things develop.
“I have always tested negative. So if I still test negative, I can leave on the 10th day because I have been exposed to a positive case. But if I test positive on the 10th day, then my clock will restart ,” Catherine said.
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This trip may eventually cost the Walden family close to $10,000, which will not be included in the travel insurance they purchased.
“We think we have very good travel insurance. This is done through our employer through our credit card. So this is one of the first things we consider when this happens,” Matthew said.
Travel lawyer Randy Warren said this is a cautionary tale, and he advises everyone who wants to travel abroad to read the details of any insurance policy they might get.
“If you buy travel medical insurance, isolation is not medical, it is medical isolation without any treatment, and it is likely to be excluded,” Warren said.
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Therefore, for now, the Waldens hope their story can become a warning story for others who want to escape until they can go home.
Matthew said: “Before traveling, please pay attention to the risks of travel and fully understand all the procedures, otherwise you will not be prepared to isolate.”
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