The pandemic is still surging in various states in the US. Infection rates are still relatively high, despite the administration of vaccines on 33 million Americans. Currently, the CDC recommends travel to delay travel since the case numbers are high. However, no one is precisely banned from traveling from state to state or by road. If you need to visit your family from another state because of an emergency, then you can do so. But before doing that, make sure you keep yourself safe with these road travel trips.
Get Tested First
First, let’s go through the essentials. When hitting the road during this pandemic, you must get tested first. This is for your safety as well as for others that you might encounter along the way.
Getting tested determines whether if you can travel or not. Additionally, it’s one way to know if you’re asymptomatic or not. There are some situations when a person does have the virus but does not exhibit its symptoms. This particular person can still spread the virus to others. Those that get the virus from the asymptomatic person can still experience its deadly symptoms. So to keep others safe, you should get tested before you hit the road.
Bring the Necessary Personal Protective Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment or PPEs are your lifelines during this pandemic. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you should know that you must wear your mask and face shield when in public. Pack these things now just in case you forget later down the line. You don’t want to be in a situation where you have to go out of your car only to buy one of these things because this increases the chance that you might get infected. As you will read later in this article, you’ll want to maximize your travel time while keeping human interactions low.
Get Vaccinated
The vaccine for the virus is now available in many states. If you can, you should get yourself vaccinated before traveling. Although you have to wait before getting it, it’s worth doing so because you know that you’ll be safe.
The vaccines being administered here in the US are considered to be very effective and safe. So if you’re having second thoughts about it, know that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are known to be at least 90% efficient against preventing infection against the virus. These vaccines have also finished stage three of their clinical trials, so rest assured that these vaccines are safe for human administration.
Now that the essentials are done let’s go through some of the things that we recommend you to do during your travels.
Visit the Carwash Regularly
Traveling for a long time can take a toll on your vehicle. It can lead to dirt and mud sticking on your car, leading to some performance issues. Additionally, hydroseeding happens quite often during this season, so some seeds may stick on the surface of your car. Its recommended that you visit the carwash regularly when you’re traveling from state to state.
The carwash can help clean out any dirt and other foreign material that might have accumulated during your long travel. It can also increase the efficiency of your travel. Additionally, carwashes can help with sanitizing your car against the virus. So make sure to do this every time you visit a city or a new state.
Travel in the Morning
Traveling in the morning is your best bet to avoid accidents. Road accidents happen quite often in the US, with about four million Americans injured from accidents every year. Fatigue, low visibility, and impaired drivers are all the leading causes of nighttime travel being more dangerous than a day. So it’s recommended that you travel in the morning when you’re completely awake and do not have low visibility.
When resting at night, it’s recommended that you do it in your car during this pandemic. Motels and hotels are usually closed because of quarantine protocols but don’t take your chances visiting open ones. Bring a sleeping bag with you and sleep in your car to keep yourself safe from the virus.
Maximize Travel Time and Reduce Human Interaction
Before you head out:
- Make sure you pack everything. This includes your PPE, food, clothes, and other necessities.
- Don’t spend too much time outside your vehicle.
- Remember that cases are still high, and that means that you’re also likely to get infected. So eat, sleep, and rest inside your car.
- Limit your human interaction and only do it when it’s super important.
You can maximize your travel time by doing these things, helping you reach your destination a lot faster.
Here are some road trips you should know before traveling during the pandemic. If you can, it’s recommended that you delay traveling until infection rates have lowered. But if it’s an emergency, make sure you follow these trips before traveling. Take care and stay safe from the virus.
