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By Ananya Gondesi, The Youth Outlook writer and editor
So, you’ve made the decision to meet up with close family during the holidays, or your work is taking you somewhere that you really don’t want to go. With 20.2 M cases and 348K deaths so far, it’s inevitable that the number will continue to rise as time goes on. Traveling is the last thing that we should be thinking about, but sometimes it isn’t a choice.
Recently, I was able to travel to Texas with my family to meet up with my cousins and we made sure to take all of the right precautions. We avoided contact with frequently touched surfaces, masks, extra shields as backups, constantly washed and sanitized hands, and wiped down almost everything we’ve touched. It was a scary experience, especially for my father and I, because we are at higher risk for catching COVID. However, those things aren’t enough at the end of the day for some.
Here’s the harsh truth: Big airlines like American Airlines and United Airlines will try to lure you in by saying that they sanitize everything and do their best to wipe as much as they can down and that they require face masks. We flew American airlines both ways, and there was absolutely NO social distancing. The flight was packed and everyone was shoulder to shoulder. Even when we were waiting in line, or waiting at the gate, at the security checks and throughout the airport there was zero social distancing, and occasionally we would see the type of person who wears their mask under their nose or just ditches it all together, meaning that the people working in the airport did not do anything about it.
Is flying a risk? Absolutely. Although the flight itself is a clean place with constant oxygen being recycled through the air and no food being handed out, it’s still a huge risk and it is up to you to be as sanitary as possible to protect yourself. So, here are some tips that you can follow to stay safe while traveling during COVID:
1. Wear a mask! (duh)
While this may be a no brainer, it’s extremely important you bring your main mask and backups as well because they say they will not let you on the flight if you do not do so. However, I have yet to see anyone be stopped for not wearing a mask, so it’s all up in the air right now, but it’s still important to wear a mask to keep yourself and those around you safe. If you’d like to understand more about why a mask is used to fight COVID, please educate yourself by reading about it at cdc.gov. A face shield is also additional protection, and you can find those at Costco or any big provider, like Amazon online if you’re not comfortable with going to a store. A filter for your mask can also be purchased for cheap and it will make wearing your mask for long amounts of time bearable.
2. Hand sanitizer and sanitary wipes are a must!
The bathrooms aren’t too great there, and washing your hands is an agonizing process in an airport that doesn’t have automatic soap dispensers. If that’s the case for you, I recommend even getting gloves if you really want to, but otherwise, make sure to keep these items with you so you can wipe down surfaces if you need to use them or use hand sanitizer after you’ve gone through security since they don’t really wipe down those bins.
3. Try to avoid taking out things that cannot be wiped down.
For example, if you want to read a book or something that can get wet and not be wiped down, that can be a little scary since it’s a surface you can’t touch for a few days. Maybe download a few episodes or take a quick nap, but try to avoid things you can’t wipe down.
4. Bring your own food or eat at home, especially if you are on a long journey.
The best option here is just to eat at home since that is the most sanitary thing. Buying at the airport is good too, and you can wipe down the container that your food is in, if you choose to do so. However, most airlines are not offering food on flights anyway, so it’s best if you eat before you go.
5. Avoid touching surfaces you don’t need to touch.
If you’re waiting and don’t absolutely need to sit down, don’t do it. Don’t touch the walls or the railings if you don't need to, don’t grip onto counters, and please for the love of God please don’t touch all over the charging stations. These are sometimes mindless movements that we do, but it is really important that you do your best to keep yourself safe.
6. Upon arriving at your destination, if you can’t do a 14-day quarantine, then avoid touching surfaces until everything is wiped down, washed, and sanitized.
Also, make sure that you are going to the house of someone who cares about the pandemic as much as you do. If they are constantly going out to parties, ignoring social distancing, and not wearing a mask, then don’t commit to going there in the first place because your work for staying safe at the airport would’ve been for nothing.
7. Finally, when you arrive home, do a 14-day quarantine.
This is an absolute no-brainer. Just do the quarantine and even get tested. Avoid going out even for a few days after your quarantine is over.
I’m not a doctor and I’m sure as hell not an adult but I know what I’ve seen. I’ve seen how most of this country doesn’t take a pandemic seriously and it’s really scary to expose yourself to enjoy time with your family. For me, my anxiety was through the roof the entire time and I am in the process of completing my 14-day quarantine. Still, it’s important that we keep ourselves safe so we can do our best to get this pandemic over with and transition back to a time when we can actually stand shoulder to shoulder without a mask.
CDC INFORMATION ON TRAVEL DURING COVID-19:
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