5 COVID-19 safety questions asked and answered ahead of holiday travel

Health officials are pleading for Americans to stay home this holiday season, but for those who must travel, here's how to reduce the risk.

‌Driving‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌safest‌ ‌option‌ ‌compared‌ ‌to‌ ‌air,‌ ‌train‌ ‌or‌ ‌bus‌ ‌travel,‌ ‌particularly‌ ‌if‌ ‌you‌ ‌are‌ ‌traveling‌ ‌alone‌ ‌or‌ ‌with‌ ‌people‌ ‌in‌ ‌your‌ household.‌ (Photo: Shutterstock)

The‌ ‌holiday‌ ‌season‌ ‌is‌ ‌upon‌ ‌us,‌ ‌along‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌third‌ ‌wave‌ ‌of‌ ‌COVID-19‌ ‌infections.‌ ‌Family‌ ‌gatherings‌ ‌may‌ ‌look‌ ‌different‌ ‌this‌ ‌year‌ ‌, with‌ ‌‌fewer‌‌ ‌Americans‌ ‌planning‌ ‌to‌ ‌travel,‌ ‌but‌ ‌employers‌ ‌can‌ ‌still‌ ‌expect‌ ‌some‌ ‌employees‌ ‌to‌ ‌see‌ ‌loved‌ ‌ones‌ ‌and‌ ‌travel‌ ‌across‌ ‌state‌ ‌lines‌ ‌to‌ ‌celebrate.‌ ‌

Whether‌ ‌your‌ ‌workforce‌ ‌is‌ ‌remote,‌ ‌in-person‌ ‌, or‌ ‌a‌ ‌hybrid‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌two,‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌important‌ ‌for‌ ‌employers‌ ‌to‌ ‌remain‌ ‌vigilant,‌ ‌be‌ ‌prepared‌ ‌to‌ ‌answer‌ ‌questions‌ ‌, and‌ ‌share‌ ‌accurate‌ ‌health care‌ ‌information‌ ‌to‌ help‌ ‌their‌ ‌employees‌ ‌stay‌ ‌safe‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌coming‌ ‌months.‌ ‌

Here‌ ‌are‌ ‌some‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌most‌ ‌common‌ ‌questions‌ ‌that‌ ‌travelers‌ ‌will‌ ‌have‌ ‌this‌ ‌year‌ ‌, as‌ ‌well‌ ‌as‌ ‌some‌ ‌answers‌ ‌employers‌ ‌can‌ ‌share‌ ‌to‌ ‌help‌ ‌guide‌ ‌them‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌process.

What‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌safest‌ ‌method‌ ‌of‌ ‌travel‌ ‌during‌ ‌COVID-19?‌ ‌

The‌ ‌main‌ ‌way‌ ‌to‌ ‌avoid‌ ‌the risk‌ ‌of‌ COVID-19 ‌transmission‌ ‌is‌ ‌to‌ ‌avoid‌ ‌being‌ ‌close‌ ‌to‌ ‌people.‌ ‌Driving‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌safest‌ ‌option‌ ‌compared‌ ‌to‌ ‌air,‌ ‌train‌ ‌, or‌ ‌bus‌ ‌travel,‌ ‌particularly‌ ‌if‌ ‌you‌ ‌are‌ ‌traveling‌ ‌alone‌ ‌or‌ ‌with‌ ‌people‌ ‌in‌ ‌your‌ household.‌ ‌If‌ ‌you‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌stop‌ ‌to‌ ‌get‌ ‌gas‌ ‌or‌ ‌snacks,‌ ‌wear‌ ‌your‌ ‌mask‌ ‌and‌ ‌gloves‌ ‌going‌ ‌into‌ ‌gas‌ ‌stations,‌ ‌have‌ ‌lots‌ ‌of‌ ‌hand‌ ‌sanitizer‌ ‌, and‌ ‌be‌ ‌good‌ ‌about‌ ‌hand‌ ‌hygiene.‌ ‌ ‌

Traveling‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌long-distance‌ ‌train‌ ‌would‌ ‌be‌ ‌the‌ ‌next‌ ‌best‌ ‌option‌ ‌if‌ ‌you‌ ‌are‌ ‌able‌ ‌to‌ ‌secure‌ ‌a‌ ‌private‌ ‌cabin‌ ‌and‌ ‌bathroom‌ ‌to‌ ‌enable‌ ‌better‌ ‌distancing.‌ ‌But‌ ‌crowded‌ ‌train‌ ‌stations‌ ‌can‌ ‌still‌ ‌increase‌ ‌risk,‌ ‌so‌ ‌consider‌ ‌going‌ ‌at‌ ‌off-peak‌ ‌times‌ ‌when‌ ‌there‌ ‌are‌ ‌fewer‌ ‌travelers‌ ‌around. ‌ ‌

What‌ ‌precautions‌ ‌can‌ ‌I‌ ‌take‌ ‌if‌ ‌I‌ ‌must‌ ‌travel‌ ‌on‌ ‌an‌ ‌airplane?‌ ‌ ‌

Based‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌current‌ ‌scientific‌ ‌evidence,‌ ‌the‌ ‌novel‌ ‌coronavirus‌ ‌can‌ ‌spread‌ ‌in‌ ‌three‌ ‌different‌ ‌ways:‌ ‌aerosols,‌ ‌droplets‌ ‌, and‌ ‌contact‌ ‌spread.‌ ‌To‌ ‌effectively‌ ‌minimize‌ ‌the risk‌ ‌of‌ ‌coronavirus‌ ‌spread,‌ ‌all‌ ‌three‌ ‌methods‌ ‌of‌ ‌transmission‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌addressed.‌ ‌ ‌

If‌ ‌you‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌travel‌ ‌via‌ ‌airplane,‌ ‌try‌ ‌to‌ ‌book‌ ‌a‌ ‌flight‌ ‌during‌ ‌off-peak‌ ‌times.‌ ‌Wear‌ ‌a‌ ‌mask‌ ‌that‌ ‌has‌ ‌two or three layers‌ ‌and‌ ‌always‌ ‌keep‌ ‌it‌ ‌on‌ ‌when‌ ‌going‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌airport.‌ ‌While‌ ‌ventilation‌ ‌is‌ ‌good‌ ‌in‌ ‌airplanes,‌ ‌sitting‌ ‌close‌ ‌to‌ ‌someone‌ ‌and‌ ‌not‌ ‌wearing‌ ‌a‌ ‌mask‌ ‌when‌ ‌eating‌ ‌can‌ ‌still‌ ‌put‌ ‌you‌ ‌at‌ ‌risk.‌ ‌Keep‌ ‌your‌ ‌face‌ ‌mask‌ ‌on‌ ‌, and‌ ‌try‌ ‌not‌ ‌to‌ ‌talk‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌person‌ ‌sitting‌ ‌near‌ ‌you.‌ ‌If‌ ‌possible,‌ ‌drink‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌straw‌ ‌and‌ ‌put‌ ‌the‌ ‌straw‌ ‌under‌ ‌your‌ ‌mask‌ ‌, so‌ ‌you‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌take‌ ‌it‌ ‌off.‌ ‌Carry‌ ‌hand‌ ‌sanitizer‌ ‌and‌ ‌disinfecting‌ ‌wipes‌ ‌to‌ ‌wipe‌ ‌down‌ ‌your‌ ‌seat,‌ ‌armrests‌ ‌, and‌ ‌chair‌ ‌tray. ‌ ‌

How‌ ‌can‌ ‌I‌ ‌stay‌ ‌safe‌ ‌if‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌hotel‌ ‌room?‌ ‌

If‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌hotel,‌ ‌try‌ ‌not‌ ‌to‌ ‌interact‌ ‌with‌ ‌others‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌lobby.‌ ‌Bring‌ ‌your‌ ‌own‌ ‌supply‌ ‌of‌ ‌antibacterial‌ ‌wipes‌ ‌to‌ ‌clean‌ ‌the‌ ‌highly‌ ‌touched‌ ‌items‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌room‌ ‌, such‌ ‌as‌ ‌doorknobs,‌ ‌alarm‌ ‌clock,‌ ‌television‌ ‌remote‌ ‌, and‌ ‌the‌ ‌thermostat.‌ ‌Keep‌ ‌the‌ ‌windows‌ ‌open‌ ‌if‌ ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌to‌ ‌let‌ ‌the‌ ‌fresh‌ ‌air‌ ‌in‌ ‌to‌ ‌improve‌ ‌ventilation. If‌ ‌using‌ ‌an‌ ‌elevator,‌ ‌try‌ ‌to‌ ‌avoid‌ ‌getting‌ ‌on‌ ‌it‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌people‌ ‌(I‌ ‌try‌ ‌to‌ ‌ride‌ ‌only‌ ‌with‌ ‌household‌ ‌members)‌ ‌and‌ ‌sanitize‌ ‌after‌ ‌touching‌ ‌buttons.‌ ‌

You‌ ‌can‌ ‌also‌ ‌reduce‌ ‌your‌ ‌chances‌ ‌of‌ ‌running‌ ‌into‌ ‌infected‌ ‌people‌ ‌by‌ ‌using‌ ‌lobby-less‌ ‌options,‌ ‌like‌ ‌VRBO‌ ‌or‌ ‌Airbnb.‌ ‌Consider‌ ‌renting‌ ‌them‌ ‌for‌ ‌an‌ ‌additional‌ ‌24‌ ‌hours‌ ‌in‌ ‌advance,‌ ‌so‌ ‌there‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌room‌ ‌prior‌ ‌to‌ ‌your‌ ‌arrival. ‌ ‌

How‌ ‌can‌ ‌I‌ ‌keep‌ ‌myself‌ ‌and‌ ‌others‌ ‌safe‌ ‌once‌ ‌I‌ ‌have‌ ‌arrived?‌ ‌

When‌ ‌you‌ ‌travel‌ ‌from‌ ‌one‌ ‌community‌ ‌to‌ ‌another,‌ ‌you‌ ‌are‌ ‌potentially‌ ‌risking‌ ‌the‌ ‌health‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌ community‌ ‌to‌ ‌which‌ ‌you‌ ‌are‌ ‌traveling.‌ ‌It‌ ‌is‌ ‌critical‌ ‌to‌ ‌pay‌ ‌attention‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌rates‌ ‌of‌ ‌COVID-19‌ ‌in‌ ‌both‌ ‌your‌ ‌community‌ ‌and‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌community‌ ‌you‌ ‌are‌ ‌visiting.‌ ‌Quarantine‌ ‌if‌ ‌possible‌ ‌and‌ ‌use‌ ‌preventive‌ ‌measures‌ ‌like‌ ‌staying‌ ‌away‌ ‌from‌ ‌crowds,‌ ‌maintaining‌ ‌6+‌ ‌feet‌ ‌of‌ ‌distance,‌ ‌masks‌ ‌, and‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌in‌ ‌outdoor‌ ‌settings‌ ‌or‌ ‌indoor‌ ‌settings‌ ‌with‌ ‌open‌ ‌windows‌ ‌or‌ ‌good‌ ‌ventilation.‌ ‌ ‌ There‌ ‌is‌ ‌always‌ ‌some‌ ‌risk‌ ‌of‌ ‌catching‌ ‌and‌ ‌spreading‌ ‌COVID-19‌ ‌when‌ ‌traveling,‌ ‌but‌ ‌sharing‌ ‌this‌ ‌ information‌ ‌with‌ ‌employees‌ ‌can‌ ‌help‌ ‌to‌ ‌mitigate‌ ‌some‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌risks.‌ ‌The‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌may‌ ‌see‌ ‌additional‌ ‌spikes‌ ‌following‌ ‌the‌ ‌holidays‌ ‌, but‌ ‌having‌ ‌these‌ ‌conversations‌ ‌can‌ ‌help‌ ‌employers‌ ‌and‌ ‌employees‌ ‌make‌ ‌safer‌ ‌and‌ ‌more‌ ‌informed‌ ‌decisions‌ ‌while‌ ‌traveling‌ ‌and‌ ‌seeing‌ ‌family‌ ‌this‌ ‌year.‌

‌‌Dr.‌ ‌Tista‌ ‌Ghosh‌ is an ‌epidemiologist‌ ‌and‌ ‌senior‌ ‌medical‌ ‌director‌ ‌at‌ ‌Grand‌ ‌Rounds.‌

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