Driving across the country in a pandemic

Thinking about traveling during the pandemic? Before heading out, there’s a lot to think about, including: Do you have risk factors for severe COVID-19, such as advanced age or chronic medical conditions? What about your co-travelers’ health and risk factors? Are your co-travelers part of your household or tight social circle? Is the virus spreading in the places you’re going? Who are you going to see along the way, and what’s their health risk profile? If you get sick while traveling, will healthcare be available? And do you have the supports you need in case you have to quarantine for two weeks when you return home — or in a state you’ll be staying in? Depending on your answers, you might decide it’s better to stay home! Or you may decide the risks are acceptable given some preparation and precautions, as we recently did. Fly or drive? “Please be careful when you drive out of the airport today, as you begin the most dangerous part of your trip.” Ever hear a flight attendant say that when your plane lands? It suggests that driving is riskier than the flight you just took. And the statistics support that. But this may not be true during a pandemic. Tight seating and exposure to lots of people whose behavior you can’t control might be riskier than driving between cities. For many, driving may be safer than flying precisely because you have more control over potentially risky exposures. We just drove from Denver to Boston. We chose to drive rather than fly...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Coronavirus and COVID-19 Health Infectious diseases Source Type: blogs