Will We Be Able to Travel This Summer?
There are many ways the coronavirus pandemic could play out. With certain precautions and protective measures in place, some believe we can definitely to travel to certain destinations safely this summer. Experts offer their predictions on when we will be able to travel again. share this article  This is a developing story. For up-to-date information on traveling during the coronavirus outbreak, visit the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. As we know all too well at this point, travel came to a virtual standstill this spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. The vast majority of travelers canceled their plans as we sheltered in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. But what were wondering now is whether we should be looking to possibly travel this summer and beyondor not. Public health experts and travel industry insiders offer their insights and predictions into what we can expect. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that it typically does not issue restrictions for travel within the United States, and thus far there have been no federally mandated restrictions on domestic travel. As states throughout the country began to lift their lockdown measures this month, there are still several things to note before packing your bags and planning a trip home to see family or rolling out on a summer road trip. For one, reopening plans and timelines are different from state to state, county to county, and even city to city. You will need to make sure you fully understand what is open and allowed wherever it is you are going. Hotels and vacation rentals may not be operating yet, and campsites might still be closed, too. However, more businesses, including tourism and hospitality businesses, are likely to continue to open up as summer continues on and reopening plans progress into subsequent stages (and as long as coronavirus transmission levels dont trend too far up, in which case some of those plans could get scaled back or halted). So, even if hotels or vacation rentals in the area you were planning to visit remain closed or limited in June, theres a chance they could open up or have more availability in July or August. It will just be a wait-and-see and keep checking situation. Additionally, several states have quarantine orders in place. In Hawaii, there is a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals, and Florida requires people arriving from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Louisiana to quarantine. Before you cross a state line by land or by air, you should make sure to find out whether there is a quarantine requirement or if a quarantine requirement you thought was in place has been lifted. As stay-at-home orders are lifted, flexibility will be key Dr. William Schaffner, professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University and an infectious diseases expert, said that we can expect road trips and closer-to-home travel to start to return as states start scaling back their stay-at-home guidelines. Article continues below advertisement  Flexibility is going to be very important because every state wont do it exactly the same way. So, you have to find out whats happening in your own hometown and then if youre going to cross a state line you had best acquaint yourself with whats going on there, said Schaffner. Social distancing in a variety of forms is going to be with us for a long time. He gave as a hypothetical example that while the museums might be open in the place you are traveling to, they may be requiring that you wear a mask or that only a limited number of people enter at any one timesomething for which visitors would need to be prepared. The CDC recommends that prospective travelers keep an eye on the number of coronavirus cases in the destination they plan on visiting and not traveling there if COVID-19 is actively spreading. The agency also recommends avoiding crowded settings while traveling. As businesses continue to reopen and restrictions on movement continue to ease, Saskia Popescu, senior infection prevention epidemiologist at George Mason University, said people should still be aware of social distancing measures and safety while on the road. Probably not the best the idea. [For] the trip that you are planning, are you going to be able to just walk around and explore the city [on your own]? In line with the CDCs recommendations, Popescu advised against planning any trips that would involve a larger group, for instance. Another thing to considerif you have close contact with someone with COVID-19 during your trip or if you travel to what is considered a coronavirus hot spot, you may be asked to stay home to self-monitor and to avoid contact with others for up to 14 days after travel, the CDC reminds travelers. As overwhelming as all the rules and regulations for mitigating the spread of coronavirus may seem to travelers right now, Schaffner said they will likely become more normalized as we grow accustomed to them in time. Social distancing and travel can coexist and the relationship will evolve over time. In the beginning it may be much more awkward and discomforting and unusual, said Schaffner. But he predicted that travel will become easier in the coming months as we all adapt to the new reality of living with coronavirus. Photo by Song_about_summer/Shutterstock There are still a lot of unknowns surrounding international travel and the coronavirus pandemic. If youre wondering whether youll be able to proceed with your summer plans for a trip to Europe, or anywhere abroad for that matter, there are several issues to consider. For one, travel restrictions were put in place in March for travel to Europe. The European Commission recently recommended that the restrictions on travel to Europe remain in place at least until June 15. Once they are lifted, there will likely be new or alternative restrictions in their place such as a mandatory quarantine upon arrival or other health and safety measures that may be required of travelers. Article continues below advertisement