After not traveling for several years, I am excited to leave home, board an airplane, and set off on adventures this summer. In fact — in a few short weeks, I will be traveling to Israel with the Jewish National Fund-USA’s Faculty Fellowship Program. As part of the fellowship, I will be traveling throughout Israel (everywhere from Tel Aviv to Haifa and Beer Sheva to Jerusalem and beyond…). Additionally, I’ll have the opportunity to meet with Israeli public health and epidemiology professionals. And if you have been reading/hearing any of the recent news about vaccinations, boosters, and variants, you likely know that this is a trip of a lifetime for me, as some of the most cutting edge public health work is happening in Israel. I feel like I am about to step into the big, big, big major leagues of public health.
I am counting the days until I leave.
(And no worries — I’ll be writing all about my trip here; I cannot wait to share my photos, stories, and adventures.)
As I prepare to leave — I have been thinking a lot about packing and planning in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Israel is still a COVID hotspot (according to the New York Times COVID Tracker). More than 24 new cases per 100,000 people are being diagnosed each day; however, (and this is good news) it appears that case counts are declining.
Planning to travel in the midst of COVID feels like a full-time job. No longer can you grab your passport, pack your bag, and board an airplane. COVID policies and procedures must be followed. And plans for preventing and (potentially) dealing with exposure or disease must be made.
Here is my TRAVEL PLAYBOOK — summer 2022 edition
Let’s start by discussing TRAVEL MINDSET… Before deciding to travel this summer, we all must think a lot about the safety, risks, and benefits of traveling at this point in the pandemic. We all must recognize that we could be (easily) exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus at any point during our travels, and we could become sick with COVID (far away from home). HOWEVER, for those of us who are vaccinated and boosted, our vaccine will protect us from severe illness and death and decrease the number of days in which we are contagious to others.
We also know that we can reduce our exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus by wearing a well-fitting mask. And if we are going to travel, we must be committed to wearing a mask if we develop any symptoms of disease in order to protect others.
We must recognize that traveling does not come without risks.
We must weigh the risks vs. benefits of traveling (thinking about where we are going and the number of COVID cases there, our own health status, our ability to pay for extra days in a hotel if we must isolate, our health insurance coverage abroad, and our own comfort with being with others on crowded planes and busy tourist attractions).
We know how to minimize my exposure to the virus and we can use vaccines to prevent severe disease. And I believe that the benefits of traveling FOR ME — the joy of exploring another part of the world and meeting colleagues and friends from other countries and cultures who are working to build healthy communities in the midst of the pandemic — far outweigh the risks associated with traveling. At this point in time. My plans could change tomorrow. And I need to be ok with that.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS. Planning a trip in the midst of the COVID pandemic requires several actions to be taken prior to leaving. Here are my suggestions —
First, travel insurance is necessary. A positive COVID test, increasing case counts at home or the destination, and changing policies could disrupt your travel plans at the drop of a hat. Having trip/travel insurance, to allow for rescheduling or delaying a trip, is a necessity. Start every trip purchase with the purchase of insurance or tickets/reservations that can be changed (up to the date of travel). While these purchases must be part of planning a trip in the midst of COVID, doing so also prepares each of us emotionally for the possibility that plans may change because of COVID. This helps with the travel mindset.
After your travel plans are made and travel insurance purchased, it is time to begin researching travel policies and requirements. Specifically, you need to know —
Airport and airline requirements — google search COVID policies at your departure airport, arrival/destination airport, and any airport where you have a layover. Specifically, look for policies related to vaccination status, masking requirements, and testing requirements (prior to departure or at the airport) as well as isolation and quarantine policies.
Requirements of the destination country. I suggest searching — (a) the destination country’s government website (specifically search for the country you are traveling to and “covid policies for international travelers”), (b) the U.S. State Department website, where you can find travel warnings as well as instructions for traveling to the destination (NOTE: there are other concerns beyond COVID and the State Dept will provide other alerts and notifications), and (c) CDC’s travel page (again, please NOTE: CDC will provide recommendations for additional vaccinations or health precautions that should be taken while traveling internationally).
As your trip grows closer and you begin to think about packing, please add all of the following to your packing list. These should all be packed in your carry-on luggage —
Digital copy of your vaccine card
Digital copy of a negative COVID test (most countries are requiring proof of a negative test within 72 hours of departure; the type of test varies by destination)
Digital copy of health insurance card
Hard/paper copy of vaccine card (buy a holder; this card is so important)
Hard/paper copy of negative test result
Hard/paper copy of health insurance card
Masks — surgical or N95 (I’d take at least 3 on the plane and then one for every day you are away, at a minimum)
Ziplock bag for storing masks when not in use
Home COVID tests (at least two per person traveling)
Basic over-the-counter medications — pain/fever reducer (like Advil)
Given that most international travel requires a negative COVID test within 72 hours of a trip,1 I would suggest taking extra precautions at home during the week leading up to your travel. This means — wearing a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces (to protect yourself), avoiding crowded indoor spaces (going to church online the week before traveling, skipping a big family dinner, avoiding trips to the theatre or movies), and decreasing the number of people you have close contact with indoors. The week before you travel should be a pre-travel week, where you protect yourself and prepare for your adventures ahead!
And for basic hygiene purposes (NOTE: these will not reduce your exposure to COVID necessarily, but they are good health practices for travel) —
Wash your hands before you eat (use hand sanitizer only when you cannot wash your hands)
Use Clorox wipes to wipe down high-touch surfaces, like your tray table
Bring a water bottle along — it must be empty when going through security checkpoints, but you can refill them before boarding. Stay hydrated.
If you become sick on a trip, seek medical care if your symptoms are life-threatening. If you visit a hospital or clinic, wear a mask when you arrive and keep it on until instructed to remove it. If you do not need medical care, you should isolate yourself to the best of your ability. If you are sharing a room with a friend/relative, you should maintain as much distance between yourselves, wear a mask, and increase the room’s ventilation. Use one of your COVID tests to determine if you have COVID or not.
If it is COVID, you need to isolate yourself for (at least) 5 days from the start of your symptoms. At the end of five, if your symptoms are improving you can leave your isolation, but you should mask for the next 5 days.
The new variants, BA.4 and BA.5, are extremely contagious. Regardless of vaccination status, if you know you’ve been exposed to COVID while traveling (known close contact with a COVID positive individual) —
I would advise quarantining for 48 hours.
If at the end of those 48 hours you are symptom-free, take a COVID test to ensure you are negative. If you are negative, I would leave quarantine, but continue to mask for at least another 5 days. If at the end of those 48 hours, you have symptoms you can assume it is COVID and you should isolate yourself for 5 days (from the start of your symptoms).
Please note — these are recommendations. Different countries have different policies and requirements for isolation and quarantine. Be sure you know and understand these policies before traveling.
Finally — it has been a long two years for everyone. From the travel agents helping plan trips to the staff at hotels, from the individuals who load your baggage onto the plane to the flight attendants. Everyone is tired, exhausted from worrying, and suffering in some way. As you are packing your bags, be sure to take along extra activities to keep you busy if there are delays — download an extra movie or book onto a device, pack an extra book or magazine, and be sure to have extra chargers and a spare pair of earphones. Be prepared for delays — have extra snacks on hand (granola bars, M&Ms, or some fruit).
Delays could occur because flight crews or airport staff are sick with COVID. Hotels may be short-staffed, same with restaurants or tourist destinations. Be prepared to wait a little longer or have to change your plans.
Patience, kindness, and (an extra dose of) grace are essential for all travelers in the midst of COVID.
Safe and happy travels to all.
Where are you going this summer? Share your summer plans in the comments. Along with your tips for safe and fun travel in the midst of another COVID summer.
I will be doing a separate post about testing before a trip next week. Stay tuned…
Have Fun and be safe
This is a wonderful resource! Thank you.