It’s Thanksgiving week and time for our annual Thanksgiving Travel Tips 2021 COVID Edition.
Travel
Traditionally, our Thanksgiving travel tips include advice on getting to the airport on time, traveling to your destination, then getting back home safely and with the least amount of hassle possible. However, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic this year, everything remains different.
So, if you’re planning to travel this week for the holiday, do yourself a favor and take a look at our Thanksgiving Travel Tips 2021 COVID Edition.
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SHOULD I OR SHOULDN’T I?
We recognize this is an extraordinary tip and one that might be a bit late to pull off — but it may be worth considering STAYING HOME this year and NOT traveling.
Are you (and all your traveling family members) vaccinated? Are the people you’re traveling to see vaccinated? Are the kids vaccinated? Are there any members of your Thanksgiving party who are elderly, sick with an ongoing illness, and potentially susceptible to a breakthrough COVID case?
It’s no fun to think about it, but these are the questions we MUST ask ourselves before trekking across the country just to eat a turkey. After all, the coronavirus and its accompanying variants are still a thing and the CDC has once again recommended that we all give careful consideration to the mixing of households from various parts of the globe. Unknowingly taking the virus with you and infecting your elderly relatives at the dinner table, or getting infected during your trip and bringing COVID home with you are all very real possibilities we should all be avoiding. Now there’s some food for thought!
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LEAVE EARLY
If you absolutely MUST travel for Thanksgiving, get to the airport or train station or bus depot ONE HOUR EARLIER than you would under normal circumstances. Despite the risk of COVID, plenty of people are hell-bent on making the traditional trip home for the holidays so expect the transportation hubs to be packed! By the time you socially distance yourself and take other precautions, the lines will be LOONNNGG and the airports will be crowded. Don’t fight your way through the crowds only to end up missing your flight by 15 minutes. Save yourself the hassle and leave early.
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SAFETY FIRST
This should go without saying, but if you are not feeling well on the day of travel, DON’T GO. It’s better to rebook your trip for some other time than to take the risk to travel anyway and possibly infect others.
If you are traveling, make a safety plan NOW before you go. Have masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and everything you need for a SAFE trip. Oh, and unless you’re eating or drinking, be prepared to keep your mask on for the ENTIRE duration of the flight.
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SOCIAL DISTANCE
While traveling through the airport or transportation hub, make sure you socially distance yourself from others. Whenever possible, remember to maintain at least 6 feet distance from everyone at all times. If you see other travelers who are not wearing a mask, avoid them. Walk out of your way to avoid being in their airspace. Once on the plane/train/bus, try not to sit directly next to someone who is not a member of your travel group. If this is not possible, ask to be moved to a seat where it is possible.
Finally, instead of hugs and handshakes with the family, remember that the fist bump is totally acceptable.
Oh, and don’t forget to wash your hands!
.Once again, the best Thanksgiving 2021 plan for some may not be the best for others. In fact, for many, the best plan is to NOT travel at all. However, if you MUST travel, we hope these Thanksgiving Travel Tips 2021 COVID Edition will help get you there and back safely and in good health!
