Texas’ holiday travel rebounds as COVID surges. Here’s how to stay safe
You’ve booked your flight online, found somewhere to stay, mapped out your plans and packed a suitcase. But then you start thinking about everything that could go wrong. What if no one around you is following safety protocols? What if you catch the virus? What if you give it to a family member? What if you have to cancel your travel plans?
Even with the omicron variant causing a likely COVID-19 surge in the Texas, holiday travel is rebounding to nearly pre-pandemic levels. According to AAA Texas, nearly 9 million Texans will be traveling this holiday. The organization projects that 32% more Texans will be traveling at least 50 miles between Thursday and Jan. 2 than did in 2020.
There are so many guidelines and restrictions to keep track of: getting fully vaccinated, taking a test, wearing a mask, social distancing and isolating or quarantining if necessary.
Figuring out how to travel responsibly and mitigate health risks can be confusing, but this guide will help you navigate that. Here’s what you need to know before traveling.
Is it safe to travel?
According to Diana Cervantes, professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at UNT Health Science Center, that depends. You have to consider your own risk based on several factors, including whether you’re fully vaccinated or have underlying health conditions.
“You have to just think of it as layers. The more time you are in a crowded, cramped space with people, it does put you at higher risk, but you need to think, ‘OK, well, I’m going to wear a KN95 mask and I am fully vaccinated,’ so that’s important,” Cervantes said.
If you’re immunocompromised, you should speak with your physician before your flight, Cervantes said. They will assess your health risk and make recommendations as to whether it’s safe for you to travel.
When is it safest to travel?
Overcrowding could put you at risk. These are the least congested times for air travel, according to AAA Texas:
- Dec. 23: after 7 p.m.
- Dec. 24: before 1 p.m.
- Dec. 25: minimal congestion expected
- Dec. 26: before 12 p.m.
Dec. 27: before 1 p.m.
Dec. 28: before 12 p.m.
Dec. 29: before 11 a.m.
Dec. 30: before 12 p.m.
Dec. 31: before 1 p.m. or after 5 p.m.
Jan. 1: minimal congestion expected
Jan. 2: before 1 p.m.
What steps should I take before, during and after traveling?
Testing: Cervantes says you should get tested for COVID-19 as close to your travel as possible. She suggests taking a rapid test. The CDC recommends taking a test one to three days before traveling. There are many locations to get tested across Tarrant County.
After you get back home, the CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested if they develop any. If you’re not fully vaccinated, get tested within three to five days or self-quarantine for 10 days.
Safety precautions: Try to take care of your health as much as possible, Cervantes recommends. That will help your immune response. Stay hydrated, sleep seven to nine hours, eat healthy meals and exercise.
Be sure to check your destination’s COVID-19 situation before traveling so that you can follow the travel restrictions in place. Also, check if your airline requires any documentation. They may have mask wearing, proof of vaccination, testing or quarantine requirements.
The best way to minimize COVID-19 risk for holiday travel is to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible, according to CDC guidelines. The CDC also recommends you get a booster dose if you are eligible. But even if you are vaccinated, it is recommended to wear a well-fitting mask that covers your nose and mouth in public indoor settings, like the airport, airplane and hotel. Cervantes recommends wearing an N95 or KN95 mask.
Try to stay a distance of six feet from anyone who doesn’t live with you. Try to avoid crowds in poorly ventilated indoor spaces, especially if you’re not vaccinated or are immunocompromised. Outside gatherings are safer, and you generally don’t need to wear a mask if you’re vaccinated. Make sure to keep your hands sanitized at all times by washing them or applying hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
If you’re only with a few people, they’re all vaccinated and nobody has symptoms, then Cervantes says you don’t need to wear a mask.
When should I cancel my travel plans?
If you are sick or have any of the below symptoms of COVID-19. If you’re experiencing these symptoms of the virus, you should get tested and isolate yourself, according to the CDC:
Fever or chills
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Cough
If you test positive for COVID-19 and you haven’t ended isolation. If your test comes back positive while you are at your destination, you should isolate yourself for 10 days and postpone your return flight until you end isolation, according to the CDC.
If you have been exposed to COVID-19 and are not fully vaccinated. If you have been within six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more and you are not fully vaccinated, you’ll need to quarantine for 14 days and should cancel your travel plans.
If you get exposed to someone with COVID-19 and are fully vaccinated, you won’t need to cancel your travel plans but you should get tested five to seven days after you were exposed or wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure.
How do I cancel my travel plans if I need to?
If any of the above situations apply to you, here’s how you can cancel your travel plans, according to WorldTrips, a travel insurance company.
Try to cancel as soon as possible and call instead of emailing. If you have travel insurance, you should file a claim online once your trip is canceled and provide as much documentation as possible.
Flights: All airlines give you 24 hours to cancel your flight after you book it. Some airlines, like Southwest, have more generous cancellation policies.
- Delta: If you purchased your Delta ticket on or before April 30, 2021, you can cancel your flight prior to departure, and you will receive credit in the exact value that can be used through 2022. For basic economy tickets purchased after that date, refunds are not available after 24 hours of booking. Main cabin tickets and above can be canceled without a fee. Follow Delta’s list of steps to cancel
- United: If your travel plans have been impacted by COVID-19, you may be eligible for a refund for your United flight. Go to their portal to cancel the reservation. Then, request a refund through their form. They’ll contact you shortly and let you know if your ticket qualifies for a refund. If it does, it will be credited back to your original form of payment. It will take up to 7 days for processing
- Southwest: If you cancel a nonrefundable Southwest flight, you’ll receive travel credits toward your next flight. Check which flights are refundable and nonrefundable. Go to their website to cancel
- American: Cancel your trip by logging in and clicking ‘Change trip’ or ‘Cancel trip.’ Basic economy and nonrefundable tickets can be canceled only within 24 hours of booking without a fee. If you booked a refundable or award ticket, you can cancel it anytime for a full refund. Request a refund on their form
- JetBlue: Cancel fees are waived on Blue Basic flights booked between Aug. 25 and Oct. 31 2021. After that date, there’s a cancellation fee of $100 to $200. All other types of flights don’t have any cancellation fees. You can cancel through their website or by contacting customer service
- Spirit: You can cancel on spirit.com, contacting them online or calling 855-728-3555. The cancellation fee depends on days until the flight, check their policy on their website
Hotel and Airbnb: Hotels are usually easiest to cancel without penalty. If you booked with hotels.com or a similar service, you should be able to get a refund or voucher. If you’re not able to get a refund after canceling, try to speak to a customer service representative.
For Airbnbs, if your stay is less than 28 nights, then your host chooses their preferred cancellation option. It will be listed on the rental profile.
Don’t neglect your mental health
With all the worry about your physical health, your mental health might fall by the wayside. But it’s crucial to take care of your mental well-being, too.
According to psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman of California, the holiday blues that some people suffer from may be amplified this year because of burnout, self-destructive behaviors, isolation, financial distress and loss.
“From Chanukah to Christmas, Kwanzaa to New Year’s Eve, we are supposed to be celebrating and hugging and feeling positive about the future. We usually cheer ourselves up and get into the holiday spirit. But, last year and especially this year, it has gotten harder and harder,” Lieberman said in a statement. “Each holiday season, some people suffer from ‘Holiday Blues’, which is due to our feeling nostalgic for holidays gone by, when we were little kids receiving armloads of presents, or when we were in a heady romantic relationship, or when we were in some other situation that our memory tells us was better. But, this year, some people will go deeper into depression and even contemplate suicide.”
Here are five tips Lieberman says can protect your mental health this season:
Be alert for signs of depression. These include overwhelming fatigue, loss of interest in life, sleeping too much or too little, eating too much or too little, sadness, irritability, feelings of wanting to give up and suicidal thoughts
Watch some comedy shows or movies. Laughter is the best medicine
Plan something to look forward to each day. Call a friend, take a walk or visit someplace new
Volunteer for a charity that would make you happy. Donate meals, deliver food baskets, read to kids or help an elderly person
Keep these telephone numbers handy: your family physician, the closest hospital emergency room, your local suicide hotline and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255 (273-TALK)
This story was originally published December 23, 2021 at 5:30 AM.
