Traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic. (photo via andresr/E+)
Traveling isn’t for everyone right now as COVID-19 cases and deaths across the United States continue to rise, ushering in stringent entry restrictions in some places.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that travel can increase your chance of spreading and contracting COVID-19 and, as a result, continues to advise Americans that postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect themselves and others amid the pandemic.
With that guidance in mind, some destinations have implemented restrictions on travel requiring visitors to test negative for COVID-19 beforehand or quarantine for several days upon arrival in some cases.
However, TSA checkpoint numbers show that travel is picking up since coming to a virtual standstill last spring. As testing becomes more widespread and vaccines are administered to more people, destinations around the world are reopening in phases with enhanced health and safety measures in place.
With the COVID-19 crisis an ongoing obstacle and travel restrictions likely to stick around though, travelers should take several key factors into consideration before deciding whether to venture out.