Traveling During Covid-19

With summer in full swing, people are hitting the road and still traveling. How can you get out of the house and travel safe during Covid-19? The safest thing to do is to put travel plans on hold. However, for those people who are going to travel, experts agree that traveling by car is a safer option.

Plan your route

Ideally avoid hot spots where there are a lot of Covid-19 cases. Select areas where there is not a lot of local transmission. When considering your destination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests asking:

• Whether COVID-19 is spreading in your community or the area you’re visiting. If so, you may have a higher chance of becoming infected or infecting others.
• If you or a loved one who is returning home has an underlying condition that might increase the risk for complications from the disease.
• If you’ll be able to maintain a 6-foot distance between yourself and others during travel and at your destination.
• Whether the destination requires that visitors quarantine themselves for 14 days upon arrival.

There are other things to take into consideration also. Will a mask be required on your journey or at your destination? Are there local business closures you need to be aware of? If needed, is there suitable medical care available?

Pack a ‘toolkit’

Good hygiene on the road is much like at home but you’ll want to be extra vigilant when stopping at high-traffic destinations. The best ways to limit your exposure include using the following:

• Wear a mask
• Hand sanitizer
• Disinfecting wipes or paper towels
• Disposable gloves
• Sealable disposable plastic bags
• Tissues

When you’re indoors or unable to distance from people by 6 feet wear your mask. Bring your own snack and drinks but if you stop to buy them, use hand sanitizer before and after going into the store. Use disinfecting wipes as needed and gloves when pumping gas. Avoid paying with cash. Use the same hygiene rules as you would at home by washing hands frequently and avoid touching your face.

Call ahead for services

Many chain hotels are open but call ahead to be sure. Ask if they are following safety and disinfectant protocols. Limit the amount of people in your room by requesting no housekeeping services. Other places you’ll want to research include any tourist destinations you’re hoping to see and local restaurants. In many places restaurants are limited to take-out or drive-thru only, instead of dining in. Lots of smaller restaurants and businesses may be closed.

Locally, most restaurants are open for dine in but at limited capacity. Nearly all of them offer curb-side pickup now too.

Drive careful

Even though there may be less traffic on the road, there is still a chance of a vehicle accident especially if you drive distracted, drowsy, or you lack experience. Overall traffic fatalities are up during quarantine because of speeding and reckless driving.

Palouse Driver Safety urges you to obey speed limits and practice defensive driving by bucking up, designate a sober driver, avoid fatigue, and avoid distractions.