We’ve broken it down to three categories for you to assess whether or not you should make the trip. And if you do go on the trip, we have some tips for you to stay safe.
Who? -
Who are you going to travel with? Is it your family? Someone who you haven’t seen in a while? Are they susceptible to contracting the disease?
If you are going to travel with someone you haven’t seen there is no guarantee that they won’t have the disease and won’t pass it on to you. If it’s your family/people you’ve been staying with chances are if they don’t have COVID-19 neither will they because you’ve been with them during quarantine. If you’re older than 65 or have present health conditions - check with your physician about your trip.
Where? -
Where are you going? What do the cases look like in that area? Has there been a recent spike in cases?
Check if there’s a high amount of cases in the area which you are traveling to. Try to avoid big cities and travel to more remote areas where the population isn’t high.
How? -
How are you going to travel there?
If you’re traveling via a plane check with the airline on what they’re doing to ensure safety. Try to take a shorter flight. You can’t make sure people on the plane are wearing a mask, make sure you carry your own. It’s very unlikely you’ll be able to preserve social distancing on a plane so be very careful. This goes for traveling by a train or bus as well. If you’re traveling in a car make sure to be safe during stops.
Here’s some quick things you can do to stay safe:
- Practice social distancing
- Wear a mask
- Wash your hands frequently
- Have hand sanitizer on hand
- Pack sanitation wipes
- Cary medications
“Considerations for Travelers-Coronavirus in the US.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html.
“Coronavirus Travel Advice.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 12 June 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-safe-travel-advice/art-20486965.
Hochberg, Emily. “Is Travel Safe? We Interviewed Experts on Risks Associated with Flying, Booking Hotels or Airbnbs, Renting Cars, and More, plus Ideas on Safe Vacations during COVID-19.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 22 July 2020, www.businessinsider.com/is-travel-safe-coronavirus.
