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Tips for Safe Travel During COVID
Covid cramp your style this year? Yeah, same here. It’s time to get out there, though. Summer has turned to fall, and the colorful leaves beckon for weaving road trips, wine tastings, and orchard adventures. It will do wonders for your mental health if you start planning a trip. In fact, science says it will! It doesn’t matter if you have all the plans today, but it’s better to just start planning! As you rightfully consider the risks of Covid and other health risks, I’ve put together some helpful tips for traveling safely during covid.
Pack the essentials
Hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, masks, your own pillowcase, and more should all be in your travel bag. I pack multiples of everything, too. You’ll not only BE safer, but you’ll feel safer having plenty of these sanitizing and safety items nearby. Reduce the stress and prepare ahead. I linked to a few favorites below!
Keep it local
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still warns against international travel and cautions about travel within the U.S. According to many reports from friends, family, and travel experts I follow, airports are very clean and safer than most public places. I, however, feel like everyone should consider a road trip. You may have to stay closer to home unless you want to plan out a longer road trip! For some local travel guides, check here.
Know the rules for your travel destination
Many countries and states still requiring 14 days of post-travel self-isolation, no matter if you have symptoms. Here is a full list from CNN. The quickest way to learn about your travel destination is to simply search for “New Jersey COVID travel requirements,” and all of the right information should pull up. In fact, Google has some new tricks. When you search on Google for information like hotels, flights, or things to do, it will show COVID-19 travel advisory or restrictions for your destination. They also recently introduced driving alerts to notify you about COVID-19 checkpoints and restrictions along your route in Google Maps. Safe travel during covid starts with good research.
Stay Outside
Any micro vacation you’re looking at taking should include lots of outdoor time. The Outer Banks was listed as the most searched for destination this summer for that reason. Get some of my recommendations for the area here. You can also check the National Park Service’s find-a-park website to see if the park is closed or partially closed (restrooms and food services, in particular), for limits on numbers of visitors, and other rules like mask-wearing. Avoid group activities that involve close contact and practice social distancing at campsites.
Learn About the Hotel Near you
Check the website of any hotel you’re considering to determine how they’re responding to COVID-19. Many U.S. hotels are following the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s new Safe Stay guidelines. There’s a special filter on OYO to search for cleaning protocols, for example. When you get to the hotel, avoid elevators, stay 6 feet away from other guests, and wash your hands when you arrive. Pools won’t spread the virus, by the way, it’s people outside of a pool. Set a good example so you can all enjoy yourselves confidently.
