Let me first start by saying, only you can answer that question. I can’t tell you how to live your life or whats right and wrong for you. I will give you all the info I have collected from the two trips I have taken during the pandemic, and give you the best advice I can for keeping yourself and others safe.
Things to keep yourself safe:
Have a big bottle of hand sanitizer in the cup holder. Yup, duh, right? You probably already have one. But make sure it's full and its right in front. If you’re forgetful like me, you might use a marker or post it note to write a reminder to yourself on your windshield (out of your line of sight,) “Hey Sofia, don’t forget to use the hand sanitizer!”
Have extra masks. I know this also seems about as obvious as the hand sanitizer but I felt it needed to be included. Whether you’re using disposable masks, or reusable fabric masks, have a few extra. (If you are using disposables make sure you clip the strings before disposing of them, to save the animals!)
Buy your road snacks ahead of time! I know one of the best part of a road trip is stopping at a shop and buying whatever sounds good at that exact moment, but try and get your road snacks ahead of time. If you buy them ahead of time, they will be sitting in your home or vehicle before your depart, making the likelihood of surface contact much lower, and its one less stop you have to make on the road, which limits your exposure to others.
If you have the space, you might also keep a gas container in the trunk, that way you wont have to go to as many gas stations. Marty and I did this when driving in the Grand Canyon because gasoline around the national parks is EXPENSIVE.
Pack yourself a sanitization kit (not unlike a first aid kit) with alcohol wipes, alcohol spray, latex gloves and a thermometer. This will probably not be necessary but it never hurts to have it. You may also want to pack a plastic face shield. My thought process behind the face shield: if, while on your road trip someone spikes a fever, having them wear the mask and face shield will help keep the healthy people in the vehicle well. If this should happen you should immediately head home or to a local testing center, or a hospital depending on the severity of the illness.
Know the rules and regulations of the places you are going. If road tripping in the US, it is important to know that different states and even different counties might have different rules. You don’t want your road trip being spoiled because as you drove north up from the 5 from Orange County to LA County you didn't realize the rules changed and now you’ve gotten a $500 ticket, which might happen. When in doubt, wear a mask. Better safe than sorry. By reading this I’m assuming you care about these things, so thank you!
Don’t go into hot spots. Make sure you know where the current hot spots are and avoid them. The hotspots do change. For a while NYC was suffering in the worst ways, but they have turned it around!
Wash your hands at every opportunity you get. If you haven't been out much you might not be in the habit yet, but every gas station, every restaurant, every time you find yourself with water and soap, give your hands a good wash. It’s very important and make sure you get under those finger nails.
Things to keep others safe:
Wear a mask. That’s it, that the bullet point. No further explanation necessary. You know the deal.
GET TESTED BEFORE YOU DEPART. Yup, get yourself tested. If you can afford to travel you can probably afford to get a test, and most places have free testing available. Remember, traveling is a privilege, so do the right thing and get tested, that way you don’t inadvertently get a local sick because you are an A-symptomatic carrier.
Don’t travel into places that are disproportionately suffering in the wake of the pandemic. For instance, you wouldn't have leisurely road tripped through NYC in April, when the whole city was suffering, right? Let’s keep that same energy when traveling through tribal lands in states like Utah, Montana and the Dakotas and many others. Traveling during Covid will require more research on our parts but it is what it is. So make sure where you’re going isn’t suffering.
Don’t travel FROM a hot spot without getting tested. If you’re traveling from a hot spot like Los Angeles into a small rural town with very little infrastructure to help the locals, it’s not fair to bring the disease into a safe community. Just get the test, or plan that trip for another time.
Follow all recommended guidelines from the World Health Organization. Wear your mask. Keep your distance.
I flew Aeromexico. They are loading the plane by groups, but the people weren't really paying attention to that unfortunately. The airline employees were enforcing it but people started gathering at the gate as soon as they announced boarding, definitely not giving people six feet. Aeromexico was not blocking the middle seats, but to be honest, I’m not sure it would make a difference if they did. However, flying during the pandemic, I really took note of what I think are the best practices to keep yourself and others safe.
You can read this article by NPR which talks about the risk on planes and the filtration system. The overwhelming consensus is masks save lives!
Things to keep you safe:
Wear your mask the entire time.
Avoid the crowd in the airport. If the area with the chairs are very crowded, lean against the wall. If the Starbucks has a very long line, skip it. Just make a conscientious note that there’s nothing in the airport that is that exciting. Skip it if it’s crowded.
Don't wear your plane clothes again till after you wash them. It’s highly unlikely that you could contract any illness in this way, but I still think it’s good measure to wash those clothes in hot water before wearing them again.
If you’re on a flight that is serving food, wait until your seat mates are done with their food and masked again before eating yours. You may even let them know that you will stay masked while they eat so they do the same for you, if they seem friendly.
Be flexible. If your departure date is nearing and you’re feeling anxiety, or there is potential that you came into contact with COVID, change your trip. Many airlines and hotels are more flexible than ever, and it’s easier than ever to change your plans. This not only keeps you safe from COVID, but also keeps you mentally well. The last thing anyone wants is for their precious vacation time to be filled with overwhelming anxiety.
Things to keep others safe:
Wear a mask. Just as straight forward as it’s ever been. Wear a mask, wear a mask, wear a mask.
GET TESTED BEFORE YOU DEPART. Getting tested before you fly is even more crucial than before a road trip. The fact that you’ll be in the airport and on a plane puts you in closer proximity to others than a road trip would, so getting tested should be top priority.
Don’t travel into places that are disproportionately suffering in the wake of the pandemic. This is also a similar point made from the road trip portion, but it’s important to consider the infrastructure of an entire nation if you’re flying, especially abroad.
Don’t travel to places where they’ve had no cases. I know this may seem like an odd suggestion, wouldn’t we want to go to the places that have had little to no cases? Ideally yes, but it wouldn’t be fair to potentially bring disease into a community that hasn’t already been dealing with COVID, and is equipped and ready to do so. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be the person responsible for bringing disease to an island that was doing just fine without me.
Follow all recommended guidelines from the World Health Organization.
How to stay safe once you get wherever you’re going!
First off, do everything you would have done at home to keep yourself safe, and more. Wear your mask in public, wash your hands, stay 6 feet away from people and be okay with the fact that you won’t be able to travel the way you once did.
Private home rentals: Whether you’re using AirB&B, Home Away, House Swap or many of the other ways people book private home rentals, this is an incredibly safe option. You likely will have the entire place to yourself and you will be just as safe as your were in your own home. I do recommend bringing in your own food, down to the salt and pepper, and abstaining from using shared areas if you’re renting an apartment or condo. You’ll also want to look into the properties COVID protocols as well. While surface contamination is very unlikely, it never hurts to run over the things people touch a lot with disinfecting wipes. And what do people touch a lot? Light switches, remotes, toilet seats and handles, sink handles and doorknobs.
Dining and sightseeing: It’s important to be a bit more mindful than we once were. Gone are the days of leisurely strolling with zero plan and popping into the latest attraction or grabbing a quick bite. While it’s still possible, it’s less probable. Do some research about which restaurants are open for dine-in and if they’re maintaining a distance at the tables, and if they staff is masked. If you’re out sightseeing and a place looks exceptionally crowded, skip it. Trust me, the Moulin Rouge isn’t going anywhere and it’s not that exciting anyway. Find the path less traveled and explore at a distance in a less crowded area. It is a bummer to have to skip things, but if safety is your priority, it’s important to come to terms with your FOMO before you depart.
To end on a positive note, the travel industry isn’t going anywhere. I know in March of 2020 people were feeling sad about how the travel industry is dead, it’s not. The travel industry is not only too big to die, but people love love LOVE to travel. Travelers wouldn’t let it die. But it is going to look different, perhaps, for a very long time. And that’s okay. All the things we are doing now are to keep people safe and well, and that’s always a good thing. Personally, I love that strangers are staying six feet away from me, I never want a stranger touching me again. This is the way things are right now and we can safely embrace a healthy amount of change while safely getting out of our own space. As I said at the start, I can’t tell you whether it’s right for you to travel right now or not. That decision is solely on you, and the people in your life. For us, we are traveling in the way that is safest for us, and the people we come into contact with.
And hey, if you’re lucky, your first flight might greet you with views like this. Safe travels!