Travel During COVID

By: Rowyn Lambert '22

(Image courtesy of forbes.com)

As the hot weather subsides and the fall semester reaches its end, the one thing on our mind is the holiday season. We daydream about finally receiving a break from the constant stress of online school. We long to sleep until noon without experiencing the sudden dreadfulness of realizing that we have definitely missed a class or two. But most of all, we look forward to sharing our coveted time off with our family members and friends. However, for some of us, that means flying out to another state, or even another country. Unfortunately, like many other activities, COVID-19 vastly inconveniences travelers. Worldwide concerns over our health poses a significant question: how can we travel safely?

Before embarking on air travel, it is crucial to consider whether you have any symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Furthermore, if you have a known exposure to the virus, you should delay travel, quarantine yourself, and get tested, according to the CDC. The CDC also recommends testing 1-3 days prior to traveling and keeping a copy of your results with you. If they are negative, however, you must stay home and isolate yourself. Lastly, you should not travel with anyone you do not live with.

If you decide to go through with traveling, there are several rules you should keep in mind. First and foremost, wear a mask over your nose and mouth at all times. Avoid touching your face and continuously wash your hands. To your best ability, try to stay six feet away from anyone who is not in your travel group. The CDC suggests bringing numerous masks with you, as well as hand sanitizer. If possible, use contactless reservations and check-ins to minimize the number of people you interact with at the airport.

All things considered, keep in mind that traveling is not the safest option. The safest choice for you and your loved ones is to stay at home. Although family visits are difficult to forfeit, it is a better alternative to infection or spreading coronavirus to others. Additionally, you should not travel to visit family members and friends who are at increased risk for severe illness from the virus. Remember that endangering the lives of those you care about is not worth seeing them for a couple of days. Instead, consider Zooming with them.

Overall, have a happy holiday season and enjoy your well-deserved break from school. Travel with precaution!