Being Prepared To Safely Travel And Socially Distance While Going On Vacations
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The desire to get out of town on some kind of a vacation probably has more desire this year than most.
However, with the threat of coronavirus still around, there are things to consider when deciding whether to go or not.
Is it safe to travel? "That depends," says Dr. Susan Guido who points out the CDC says, "Staying home is still the safest and best way to protect yourself."
A career Emergency and Urgent Care physician, Dr. Guido acknowledges people are going to travel. She says if you are beach-bound, consider what we've been seeing on beaches the last few weeks, "packed beaches, no social distancing, no mask. So there's a lot to consider."
As uncomfortable as they may be, "Take your mask, take your hand sanitizer wipes, soap and water try to stay six feet away from anyone."
That's on the beach but what about your accommodations on the way and at your destination? Hotels are emphasizing their cleaning efforts but Dr. Guido says go in prepared.
"Wipe down all high-touch surfaces when you get there. So carry supplies with you to wipe down doorknobs, light switches, remote controls faucets, etc."
And if you've ever been in a grocery store near a beach on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you know how crazy they can be.
Dr. Guido says, "I would not want to go to one of those grocery stores right now. So take enough supplies to at least get you started or you do take out."
With Universal Studios opening June 5, and Disney starting its reopening with The Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom opening July 11 (all popular destinations from Pittsburgh) AAA East Central is seeing a lot of interest in the resorts.
AAA's Maurita Williams says, "You have those who are ready to go tomorrow as soon as things open. You have those who are playing the wait and see."
But Dr. Guido cautions, "I love Disney, I know a lot of people want to go to Disney. But oh, my goodness, how are you going to avoid crowds at Disney? How are you going to avoid high touch surfaces?"
If you need to fly to your destination, Dr. Guido says to take a sparsely populated plane, otherwise, "You're going to be around 150 people depending on the size of the plane in close quarters for however long you are going to be on the plane. That's scary to me."
For some, the desire to travel is motivated by vacations already paid for or deposits made. While every company has a different policy about refunds, AAA says many are willing to work with the vacationer.
And no matter where you are going, Williams says to check on the coronavirus case count and situation at your destination.
You can find that information here.
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