Health & Wellness

Coronavirus knows no boundaries, and the virus has severely impacted the Netherlands. Known for its fields of tulips and iconic windmills, Holland is a beautiful country that no one can fully enjoy these days. wooden bridge in Holland We speak with Holland resident Merijn Martens about the profound impact of COVID-19 on his country and his family. Merijn shares how people are coping, including the heartbreaking reality that his parents have not been able to hold his 4-week-old newborn. He also shares a touching story about teddy bears popping up along neighborhood streets, bringing smiles and a sense of community during these challenging times. For more updates and stories, subscribe to our channel and newsletter at World Footprints. Call to Action: Subscribe to our channel and newsletter at World Footprints. Follow @WorldFootprints on Instagram and all social media platforms. Hashtags: #COVID19Netherlands #MerijnMartens #WorldFootprints #StayHome #CoronavirusImpact #HollandStories #TravelNews #CommunitySupport [...]

The COVID-19 virus reached the African nations slower than other continents, but South Africa has since taken significant steps to combat its spread, including a nationwide lockdown.

In this video, join Kellie Paxian as she shares her experience of traveling internationally from Cape Town to Vancouver during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kellie managed to leave South Africa just before the country went into lockdown, and she joins World Footprints to discuss her journey and the contrasting approaches to the pandemic in Cape Town and Vancouver.

Japan has been in the news frequently regarding its battle with the coronavirus, culminating in the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games. But what is really happening in Japan? How do the Japanese feel about all the recent events?

As we continue navigating this new normal of lockdowns and social distancing, World Footprints connects with Sarah Ratliff, a previous podcast guest from Puerto Rico.

...we’re connecting with Sven Parthie, a massage therapist and life coach with a focus on Stress Management, who lives in Brussels, Belgium. Sven will share how the impact of COVID-19 is being felt in Brussels and some of the creative ways Belgians are coping with the pandemic. He’ll also share some helpful tips on how to manage stress during these trying times.

Being socially distant does not mean we must also be emotionally distant. As human beings, we have a natural need to feel connected to a community. The shared experiences resulting from the coronavirus pandemic have reminded us of the dynamic global community we’re all part of and the profound impact kindness can have during challenging times.

When a crisis hits, it’s instinctive for people to come together in solidarity and help one another. The social support is instrumental in negating any negative impact the events can have on one’s mental health. The coronavirus outbreak is unlike anything in modern history with governments requesting that people isolate and distance themselves from others – something humans tend NOT to do when a crisis happens. 

Airlines are using the most potent disinfectants to eliminate the coronavirus (COVID-19) from its planes. Korean Air Lines Co., Qantas Airways Ltd and Singapore Airlines Ltd.’s Scott unit were some of the airlines that helped in the evacuation of people in Wuhan, the Chinese city that’s the center of the epidemic, and from the cruise ship off the coast of Japan.

Although the rate of coronavirus infections has slowed, the effects the global epidemic has had on the tourism industry is rapidly increasing. The impacts of the coronavirus is already being seen and felt throughout Asia, which had a GDP of $884 billion in 2017. In China, inbound tourism netted $127.3 billion in 2019. However, with the rise in coronavirus diagnoses, travel agents, hoteliers and others in the travel industry are bracing for a months-long economic disruption due to the coronavirus outbreak. And, these long-term effects could spill over into 2021. Embark Beyond Managing Partner and Founder Jack Ezon said the number of canceled trips to China and all through Asia has increased every day. Some people are hesitant to go anywhere, afraid of what could happen. Many of them are waiting until next year to go. He said 75 percent of people canceled their February and March trips to Southeast [...]

As concerns about the coronavirus spread, people looking to enjoy the Lunar New Year season canceled trips, which hit China’s air, road and rail travel industry hard. Transport Ministry Vice Minister Liu Xiaoming said passenger travel would drop 45 percent during the 40-day travel season, ending Feb. 18. Airlines transported just an average of 470,000 people a day between Jan. 25 and Feb. 14, a quarter of 2019’s amount. Between Feb. 15 and Feb. 23, the amount of passengers was one-tenth of the peak period. The coronavirus outbreak has shaken up the country’s transportation industry, especially after officials shut down large swaths of the country and over 50 countries implementing travel restrictions to and from China. The crisis is taking place at a crucially busy time for the country – with the Lunar New Year season going. It was expected that hundreds of millions of Chinese would go on three [...]

With the rise in coronavirus numbers, the travel industry is bracing itself for the negative impact.   According to Chinese officials, there are thousands of cases and over 30 deaths with confirmed cases in other countries: Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the U.S. China expanded its quarantine to 12 cities in and around Wuhan – the epicenter of the outbreak – which has 35 million people.   The World Health Organization said precautions were needed, but no global emergency was being enacted just yet.   How Will The Tourism Industry Be Affected By The Virus Outbreak  The damage the coronavirus can cause on the tourism industry is just as bad as the virus’ timing. For instance, China’s Lunar New Year may have been impacted by the illness. It’s a time of year where 400 million Chinese travelers were expected to travel for a several-weeks long holiday vacation to other parts of the country [...]