Our team has been reading news about the reopening of Downtown Disney, interested to see how the massive undertaking is going. Learning more about their social distancing practices and rules tells us a lot about how other areas will do it and what to expect.
One thing caught our eye, a mother/daughter pair of Disney enthusiasts flew in for the day, from Las Vegas, to attend the reopening. Knowing the safety concerns around air travel, we were stunned. But it left us wondering: how dangerous is travel right now and how can we do it safely?
Many families enjoy trips in the summer, especially family reunions. In regular years, the kids have broken up from school, the weather is gorgeous and families get to enjoy spending time with each other. This year, with COVID-19 outbreaks around the country, that’s more difficult.
The safest thing you can do is stay home and away from people who live outside your home. Enjoy places in the open air that are close to home with your loved ones. Research from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) shows that travel is spreading the virus.
“Travel is certainly a huge driving factor,” wrote the researchers. “We see spread along I-80 between central Illinois and Iowa, as well as along the I-90 corridor across upstate New York.”
The safest thing we can do for ourselves, our communities and the places we wish to visit is to stay home. Your next safest option is an RV trip where you won’t have to make many stops for food or stay in hotels. ou can limit your exposure, but you will still have to stop for gas. Being in a car alone or with people you live with is second to RVs. Public transport options — including buses, trains and airplanes — are places where you stand a much higher chance of coming in contact with the virus for an extended time.
If you travel, be sure to bring all of the safety gear you would use at home: face masks and hand sanitizers. And, if you’ll be staying in a rented room or space, also bring cleaning supplies so you can disinfect surfaces. While camping may seem tempting, if you become ill, or come into contact with someone who is, it might be harder to get help. If you decide to go camping, make sure the area you intend to stay in is open. Many parks are shut.
The CDC suggests that people over 65 and people with medical conditions that make their COVID-19 risks higher, should limit their travel. But if you are going to travel, research how the area you are going to is faring. You might be driving into a hotspot where you are at higher risk. Additionally, some cities and states have 14-day quarantine orders. You don’t want to go somewhere only to find out you can’t see anyone. Equally, you don’t want to come home and realize you can’t leave your house for two weeks.
Because of places going through opening and reclosing phases quickly, be sure to bring extra supplies of any medications you take. You don’t want to get caught somewhere and realize that you don’t have enough.
Remember one big thing: be kind to yourself and others. If you don’t feel safe to leave your neighborhood, gently but firmly tell your family or friends that you will not be going. You should not do anything you are uncomfortable with doing. Yes, it will be sad to miss the annual get together. But, it’s better to miss it than travel somewhere you don’t feel safe or comfortable. If you want to go, but someone else bows out, remind yourself that they may have many reasons not to go.
This summer, many of our plans are on hold. One of our team members loves Disneyland. Under different circumstances, she would be there right now. However, with Orange County being a hotspot, and San Diego suffering, she is giving it a miss and watching Disney movies while doing things at home. We hope that you find ways to have fun around your home. And, if you are traveling, enjoy yourself and have safe trips!
