Top 3 Summer Travel Recommendations

As we enter our third summer of the pandemic, you may be wondering what travel precautions your local healthcare experts recommend. COVID is as manageable as it has been since it broke on the scene in March 2020. And while this provides greater opportunity to travel safely, we also advise continued caution.

Get vaccinated and boosted as recommended. Vaccinated and boosted people are far more likely to enjoy their vacation and the weeks that follow without having to worry about COVID. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one booster for most people over age 5 and a second booster for most people over 50.

Choose your destination wisely. Check out the COVID Community Level in each of the places you will be staying, and follow the recommendations provided for masking at that level.

Pick outdoor attractions. COVID dissipates quickly outdoors. So, especially if you are unvaccinated or traveling with children under 5, choose outdoor destinations. Camping trips, beach trips, and amusement parks are wise choices. Restaurants with outdoor seating or picnicking are better than eating indoors, especially in areas where the COVID Community Level is high.

If you follow these recommendations, you’ll likely fulfill your needs to relax or see something new without putting yourself or your family at high risk of catching COVID-19.

Donna Barron, RN, is the infection preventionist at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care, in Bennington.