We are halfway into Year 2 of Covid-19 and with just 15.4% of the world’s population fully vaccinated, travel restrictions aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Lockdowns, testing, health passports, and quarantine will likely to be in our travel vernacular for many years to come.
Some travelers have resorted to having Plan A vacations and Plan B, just in case they can’t have their first choice. Cases in point: Canada reopened its borders to fully vaccinated Americans just as the organizers of the world-famous New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival postponed due to rising Covid-19 cases in the region. Thailand’s reopening allows fully vaccinated travelers without quarantine, but the strict guidelines might push this destination off your bucket list at least for now. In the same week, reports out of Britain say the PCR tests required for most travelers are so expensive they’re keeping travelers away.
Individuals have different risk tolerances; and uncertainty seems to be the travel theme right now because the decision to travel goes beyond the ‘where can I go’ and ‘is it safe there’ all the way to ‘will it be worth it’?
Here’s what we know about where US travelers can go right now.
How to know where you can go
Deciding where to travel right now is half the battle, and Bloomberg’s Travel Reopening Tracker is a good place to start. Select where you’re traveling from and you’ll get a quick list of the places that are more or less accessible to you.
With Los Angeles selected as the embarkation point, the data currently looks like this:
Bloomberg’s methodology is based on travel restrictions, local vaccination levels, and business and leisure openness. The data is updated weekly – usually on Friday – and more often when major developments happen.
How to know who you can travel with
The most important factor to consider is the medical risk of those you will be traveling with or seeing when you arrive.
- Is everyone fully vaccinated?
- Is anyone unvaccinated or immunocompromised?
- Can you quarantine for at least three days when you return and get tested before gathering indoors with vulnerable members of the household?
If the trip will involve spending time indoors with unmasked, unvaccinated people then the current recommendations are to avoid going.
Items you should have on your next trip
What gets packed in your carry-on and in your emergency travel health kit has changed since Covid-19. In addition to masks, disinfectant wipes, and hand sanitizer, some of the recommended items for flight travel include:
- disposable seat covers
- face mask loops to keep your mask easily accessible
- travel pillows to prevent your head from slumping against the wall or window
- card holders for your proof of vaccination
- thermometer to test your temperature
- smartphone sanitizers
Other interesting news
Short on staff – worker shortages continue to complicate air travel as travel bounces back to normal.
Emerging from hibernation – as we begin to emerge from pandemic-imposed hibernation, here’s how we can all be a little more patient with each other, including ourselves.
Why is this vacation so pricey? Blame the relationship between business travel and higher or lower vacation prices.
