
 
        
         
		How to handle traveling as economies reopen 
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 Caribbean L 20     ife, August 7, 2020 
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 reopened or are on the  
 cusp of reopening are  
 feeling a complicated mix of  
 emotions. While most people  
 are no doubt happy to get out  
 of  the  house,  whether  it’s  to  
 return to work or visit a favorite  
 restaurant  in  person,  
 those same people are probably  
 somewhat  hesitant  to  
 stray too far from home. Such  
 feelings have made some wonder  
 if it’s safe to travel. 
 The  Centers  for  Disease  
 Control and Prevention state  
 that travel increases a person’s  
 chances  of  getting  and  
 spreading COVID-19.  But  not  
 all travel is the same, and the  
 CDC notes there are different  
 levels of risk associated with  
 different types of travel. 
 •  Air  travel:  Time  spent  
 in security lines and airport  
 terminals brings travelers in  
 close contact with other people  
 and  frequently  touched  surfaces. 
  While airplane cabins  
 are fi ltered,  which  makes  it  
 diffi cult for viruses and other  
 germs  to  spread  through  the  
 air, social distancing is diffi - 
 cult  on  crowded fl ights. That  
 diffi culty can increase the  
 chances of airline passengers  
 spreading  COVID-19  to  each  
 other. 
 • Bus/train travel: Social  
 distancing on buses and  
 trains  also  is  diffi cult,  increasing  
 the  likelihood  that  
 COVID-19 will  spread among  
 passengers. 
 • Car travel: Short car trips  
 can be safe, but long car trips  
 involve pulling over for gas,  
 food and restroom breaks.  
 That puts drivers and their  
 traveling companions  at  risk  
 of exposure to COVID-19 from  
 other  travelers  or  contaminated  
 surfaces. 
 • RV travel: Recreational  
 vehicles, or RVs, are typically  
 equipped with restrooms and  
 kitchenettes,  which  can  cut  
 down on the need to make potentially  
 risky  pitstops.  But  
 RVs also tend to be parked in  
 overnight  RV  parks  so  travelers  
 can sleep. Such places  
 may  make  travelers  vulnerable  
 to COVID-19. 
 Much  is  still  unknown  
 about COVID-19. In fact, many  
 people  do  not  even  know  if  
 they have had the virus or  
 not.  Scientists  suspect  that  
 millions  of  people  have  been  
 exposed to the virus but produced  
 no symptoms. Because  
 of  that  uncertainty,  many  
 people are willing to travel as  
 economies reopen. The CDC  
 recommends that such people  
 adhere to local travel restrictions  
 and take steps to anticipate  
 travel needs before departing  
 so they can minimize  
 the chances that they are exposed  
 to the virus. 
 • Bring enough medicine  
 to last you for the entire trip.  
 If need be, call your physician  
 and request refi lls to serve as  
 a  safety  net  in  case  medication  
 is  lost during your  travels. 
 • Pack enough alcoholbased  
 hand sanitizer (at least  
 60 percent alcohol) and keep it  
 within reach at all times during  
 your trip. 
 •  Bring  cloth  face  coverings  
 to wear in public places.  
 The CDC advises such coverings  
 be  routinely  washed,  so  
 bring enough clean coverings  
 to last the trip if you will not  
 have  access  to  a  washer  and  
 dryer. 
 •  Prepare  food  and  water  
 for your trip. Pack non-perishable  
 food in case restaurants  
 and stores are closed. 
 Travel remains risky, even  
 as economies reopen. People  
 who intend to travel can take  
 certain  precautions  to  make  
 their trips as safe as possible. 
 The CDC notes there are different levels of risk associated with different  
 types of travel.  Metro Creative Connection 
   Health