CLEVELAND — Despite continued warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention against travel, and coronavirus cases on the rise again, people are traveling in record numbers since the start of the pandemic. But there are ways you can minimize your risk if you're one of those who just can't stay at home any longer.
Obviously spring breakers mobbing Miami didn't get the news, but, "Every time there's a surge in travel, we have a surge in cases in this country," said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. Yet we've seen plenty of scenes at airports across the country, filled with travelers who just, "feel safe."
"I have more risk in the grocery store when I'm getting groceries than in the plane," said one traveler.
A study by Harvard University agrees, citing "sophisticated ventilation systems," mandatory mask policies and enhanced cleaning procedures. But the flight's not the problem.
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Dr. Mark Rupp from the University of Nebraska Medical Center says the risk is in, "standing in the security line, standing in the boarding line, waiting for ground transportation," where people forget to socially distance.
To minimize your risk at airport checkpoints, you want to limit the amount of objects you and your stuff come into contact with.
"Take your wallet, take your keys, take you cell phone and instead of putting them in the bin, put them directly into your carry-on bag because that reduces touch points," said the TSA's Lisa Farbstein.
Once you're on the plane, consider eye protection in addition to a mask, use hand sanitizer, stay in your seat and try not to eat or drink. And try to keep your mask on until you're out of a public area.
The same rules hold true if you're traveling by train or bus, but driving is your best bet, according to Dr. William Schaffner from Vanderbilt University.
"You have control of the environment in the car," he said. "If you're going by airplane, railroad [or] bus, other people can determine your level of risk."
Your own car is still your best bet. Rental cars if you can get them have seen prices rise because so many companies decreased their fleets last year. Uber and Lyft have been hard to rely on lately as well. Not only did the number of drivers drop during the pandemic because no one was going out, with the new round of stimulus checks and increased unemployment many drivers are not back yet. Some passengers have reported waiting hours in popular spots.
When you do travel in the car, keeping the windows open is smart, and experts say if you can, avoid the rest stops.
"None of these interventions is perfect," Dr. Shaffner said. "It's like a whole series of slices of Swiss cheese. Each is a barrier, but each has little holes."