Here’s How To Keep Healthy This Holiday Travel Season

If you plan to travel this holiday season to visit friends and family, you’re not alone. According to Forbes, 52 percent of Americans plan to travel during the holidays this year. Of that amount, 40 percent will travel by air. While travel may look somewhat different compared with last year, a number of precautions are still in place for holiday travelers to help keep themselves and others safe.

As you prepare to visit your in-laws across the country or your best friend in a neighboring state, follow these tips from Banner Health to help you stay protected as you travel.

Get Vaccinated To Reduce Risk

For those who plan to visit friends and family for the holidays, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting vaccinated to minimize COVID-19 risk. The CDC adds that once you are fully vaccinated, you can then start doing some things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

It is important to note that until you are fully vaccinated, you should still take all the necessary precautions to keep safe. Someone is considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 two weeks after they have received the two-dose series of the Pfizer of Moderna vaccine or two weeks after the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Here’s What To Expect When Traveling Domestically

The CDC recommends that you delay travel until you are fully vaccinated. People who are fully vaccinated can travel safely within the United States, but they should still follow all state and local recommendations and requirements, and self-monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms after travel.

If you are not fully vaccinated and decide to travel, it is recommended that you get tested with a viral test one to three days before your trip, continue to wear a mask, maintain physical distance and take other precautions.

Regardless of your vaccination status, wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

Celebrate More Safely With These Tips From The CDC

In addition to getting vaccinated, there are a number of other general recommendations the CDC has shared for holiday travel. If you are not fully vaccinated, it recommends wearing well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings. If you are fully vaccinated, you should wear a mask in public indoor settings in communities with substantial to high transmission. The CDC also stresses that outdoors is safer than indoors.

If you are sick or have symptoms, don’t host or attend a gathering. Be sure to get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

Protect Yourself Against The Flu

Travelers should keep in mind that the holiday season also coincides with flu season. Flu activity peaks between December and February, but activity can last as late as May. The 2021-22 flu season is already on par to become a significant flu season, according to experts, because of reduced population immunity due to lack of flu virus activity since March 2020.

For those ages 6 months and older (with rare exceptions), the flu vaccine is vital to keep protected against the flu. Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. For optimal protection, it is recommended that people get the flu shot annually because the body's immune response from vaccination declines over time.

Similar to protecting yourself against COVID-19, there are several additional steps you can take to protect yourself against the flu. Banner Health recommends the following:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Learn More On How Flu Season Is Different During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Continue To Play It Safe

As you begin to make travel plans for the holidays, stay vigilant about protecting yourself and others by keeping updated on the latest precautions. Both the CDC and Banner Health websites provide ample information and updates on the flu and COVID-19, along with the vaccines for each.

Visit Banner Health For Answers To Your Questions On COVID-19, The Flu And Much More

Sources:

Banner: COVID-19 Vaccine
Banner: COVID-19 and the Flu: Know the Symptoms
Banner: Flu Vaccine
Banner: How Is Flu Season Different During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
CDC: Domestic Travel During COVID-19
CDC: Frequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2021-2022 Season
CDC: Holiday Celebrations
CDC: How to Protect Yourself & Others