Should I Travel or Stay Put? Let’s Talk about Covid and Travel
The uncertainty around the Covid-19 virus has most of us second-guessing about what the right move should be. Whether it’s about washing our hands constantly, working from home or creating just-in-case plans, the question remains: just how afraid should we be?
At my workplace, we have different responses to the virus. We have a guy who is hyper-alert and tense. You might describe him as down a rabbit hole kinda freaked. He’s in charge of a show at our university and he is careful – obsessively so – about keeping everyone’s hands clean. Maybe he’s doing something right? But then, we all wonder if he’s overreacting.
And that makes me question if we’re too relaxed about the situation, content with simply instructing, “Wash your hands and don’t panic”. I mean, do we even know if we’re handling this right?
With the little information we all have, it’s hard to ignore the potential severity of the situation. The virus could put a huge strain on healthcare, and it’s definitely important that we wash our hands and use hand sanitizer regularly.
Our university decided to switch to online classes for two weeks after spring break, matching the incubation period for the virus. Smart, right? Since there’s a chance students might come back from spring break carrying the virus.
My concern is not just about me, but also my elderly family members. I don’t want to risk spreading the virus to them. Plus, I continue to worry about students who need to work to pay bills while trying to keep themselves and everyone else safe.
So, how does all of this translate to travel plans?
Well, I had a trip planned to Brazil for spring break, if they’re still allowing Americans in. Despite the outbreak in Rio, I still considered travelling. There was an interesting article about a family who also planned on traveling to Japan- until they decided against it.
I’m not worried about myself getting sick, or spreading the virus to my travel friend, Diogo. But, there’s the thought of being stuck in Brazil longer than my planned trip, so I packed an extra week of contacts just in case.
Airplanes do worry me a bit. They’re notorious for spreading germs and I always seem to catch some bug after a flight.
Moving forward, I’m curious — What would you do if you were in this situation?
Update: I did end up going to Rio. It was a strange yet enjoyable trip with lots of social distancing and two slightly anxious flights. If my trip was even a day later, I probably wouldn’t have made it. The situation developed at lightning speed and it seemed like that was the last day things were semi-normal before the gravity of the situation hit home. It’s clear that nothing was overblown about the situation. Life in the U.S. is adjusting to a new kind of normal for the next few weeks. I’m cautiously quarantining myself at the moment, ensuring I don’t spread the virus if I picked it up during travel.
So, spread the word- stay safe!