How COVID -19 Will Affect Fertility Medical Tourism?

COVID -19 is affecting fertility medical tourism most along with pleasure travel. 

Six months ago, nobody knew what is COVID -19. But today, it is declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation affecting more than 180 countries and millions of people. It is a new disease caused by a virus and shows flu-like symptoms but is more deadly and infectious than common flu. With the increasing cases of COVID -19, people are more and more entering into a phase of fear and anxiety. Each day countries are doing lockdown and advising social distancing to avoid the spread of this virus. COVID -19 effect on fertility medical tourism is many folds.

With the increment in the cases of COVID -19, most countries have decided to shut down their borders. With financial conditions hitting a new time low, COVID -19 is a serious test of the healthcare sector.

But apart from the financial industry, it is also a tourism industry that is affected more as cross-border travel is not recommended as of now. So, what does it mean for the different people seeking infertility treatments abroad? Read on to know more about it.

Impact of COVID-19 on fertility medical travel

Surely, not only the tourism industry is affected but also the events organized by these industries are being affected. These are affected in the following ways –

1. Most of the events in the medical travel industry which were scheduled in the first half of 2020 have been moved to the latter half of the next year just like the other sporting events.
2. People are unwilling to go to events worldwide in the wake of the COVID -19 pandemic.
3. Countries have imposed a ban on such events due to the larger gathering it accumulates in the country as then more and more people would be in danger of infecting themselves with COVID -19.
4. Most of the events have canceled their decision to step out in the market entirely.
5. Medical travel exhibitions are now much more sensitive as compared to other events as it will require a large number of people to participate.

The most efficient way of now conducting these events will be online (if possible). This would allow people to attend the events from a place where they are comfortable also, it will not violate any country’s law made in the wake of the COVID -19 pandemic. The events which require the physical gathering of the people should be postponed as soon as possible to avoid any further transmission of COVID -19.

COVID 19 and changing the shape of the fertility medical travel market

The medical sector all over the world includes providers of many levels and sizes. They can be worst affected by the minimum affected category. Let’s see who falls in which category –

1. Small medical travel providers –These mainly include small agencies, start-ups, and travel consultants. They already used to have a very low budget and hence, are more affected by the fluctuations in medical travel due to COVID -19. To compensate for the losses, they might have to downsize the personnel, reduce the marketing activities, etc.
2. Medium-size medical travel providers – These mainly include agencies, hospitals, and clinics. They also have to face problems but only a few problems as compared to the small medical travel providers. They might have to downsize their staff, cancel their participation in the events, or reduce their spending. For them, this COVID -19 panic is another crisis that will pass by.
3. Large size medical travel providers – These may include large agencies, chains of hospitals, and large clinics. They are the most unaffected group by the COVID -19 panic. They will continue to use the pragmatic approach toward their businesses and will continue to invest. These are the minimum affected category in COVID -19 crisis.

Recovery planning after COVID -19

Many news channels are now moving from sensational to sensible reporting while reporting for COVID -19. So, they are now having a pragmatic approach as to how COVID -19 will pass.

After the fertility medical tourism industry picks up again, international travelers will enjoy the flight and accommodation at a competitive price. This is because they will be the first ones to travel to other countries after COVID -19 pandemic is over.

They will also enjoy the treatment and the journey at a very affordable price and with less waiting time. The countries that would have dealt with COVID -19 more nicely will be the safer option for the patients to go for medical treatment.  These are the countries that will enjoy ‘being first’ in the medical tourism era after COVID -19 is over.

More physicians now believe that COVID -19 will show a peek in the cases and then will register a sudden downfall. They are also of the view that once the summers come, the coronavirus will register a decline in the number of cases. But no one is sure how this COVID -19 era will pass as there is no scientific announcement about the relation between the summers and the COVID -19 cases so far.

Conclusion 

This is not the time to travel for pleasure or fertility medical tourism.  This is time to plan. COVID -19 effect on fertility medical tourism is more than in any other industry.

As we all know that fertility treatments and having a baby via surrogacy take lots of planning.  This is the perfect time to discuss the family-building option with the family.

Research about the countries which offer legal yet affordable cross-border infertility treatment and surrogacy programs.  Set up a consultation with the IVF Clinic and surrogacy agency representative to get the information and make an informed decision.  On average, it takes 4-6 months of research and decision-making time for a cross-border surrogacy program.  Before you conclude, the COVID-19 will be over.

If you’d like to learn more about IVF, Egg Donation, or surrogacy services globally, check out the rest of our website at  IVF Conceptions. We offer legally secure and affordable surrogacy consulting services for FREE.