UPDATE: How to Travel Safely Amidst COVID

How to Travel Safely Amidst COVID

As summer approaches and you begin to make your summer plans, take a minute to learn about traveling safely during possible summer spikes in COVID.

This message is brought to you by the CDC and a grant from The Center at Sierra Health Foundation.

Can I travel if I recently had COVID-19?

Yes, you can travel once you have ended isolation. Check CDC guidance for additional precautions, including testing and wearing a mask around others. If you recently had COVID-19 and are recommended to wear a mask, do not travel on public transportation such as airplanes, buses, and trains if you are unable to wear a mask whenever around others.

What can travelers do to prevent COVID-19?

Get up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before you travel and take steps to protect yourself and others.

Consider wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas, including on public transportation and in transportation hubs.

Take additional precautions if you were recently exposed to a person with COVID-19. Don’t travel while sick.

If you have a weakened immune system or are at increased risk for severe disease talk to a healthcare professional before you decide to travel. If you travel, take multiple prevention steps to provide additional layers of protection from COVID-19, even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.

These include improving ventilation and spending more time outdoors, avoiding sick people, getting tested for COVID-19 if you develop symptoms, staying home if you have or think you have COVID-19, and seeking treatment if you have COVID-19.

Consider getting a COVID-19 test if you:

Develop COVID-19 symptoms before, during, or after travel.
Will be traveling to visit someone who is at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19.
Were in a situation with a greater risk of exposure during travel (e.g., in an indoor, crowded space like an airport terminal while not wearing a mask).

If you traveled and feel sick, particularly if you have a fever, talk to a healthcare professional, and tell them about your recent travel.

When is masking most useful?

Wearing a high-quality mask or respirator is most beneficial when:

You are in crowded or tight spaces with poor ventilation like airport jetways, airplanes when the ventilation system is off, seaports, or when in close-contact situations like on a train or bus.
There are high levels of respiratory disease at your travel destination or in the community you are traveling through.
You or someone you have close contact with has a weakened immune system or are at increased risk for severe illness.
You are sick or experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness (although it is better to delay travel if you are sick).
See specific recommendations for COVID-19.
You were exposed to a person with COVID-19 in the last 10 days.

Why should I wear a mask when traveling if I don’t usually wear one in my community?

Traveling can bring you in contact with people from many different places where viruses are spreading, including different COVID-19 variants and other viruses.
Using public transportation and being in transportation hubs such as airports, can involve spending long periods of time in areas that may be crowded or poorly ventilated. This increases your chance of exposure to respiratory diseases.
Wearing a mask during travel can also help protect others who cannot avoid being in crowded places when they are traveling. Some of these people might be more vulnerable, like babies under 6 months of age, persons over 65 years of age, or those with a weakened immune system.