Now that a large chunk of adults in the United States has been vaccinated against Covid-19 and case counts are falling, people are eager to travel again. The CDC says that domestic travel is safe for fully vaccinated adults. But what about traveling with young children since they are not expected to be vaccinated for several more months?
Luckily, Covid-19 hasn’t affected children as much as adults. Kids tend to get less sick and less likely to spread the virus. This means the risk is small but there’s still a risk to your child. So travel is possible as long as you think through the different variables and understands the risk involved.
Method Of Travel
This is a big one. Traveling with your family by car is probably the least risky way to go on vacation. You’re not exposed to large groups of people in your car and can somewhat keep yourselves isolated while you travel.
Flying is faster but comes with more risks. For now, all airlines are requiring fliers to wear a mask with very few exceptions. This means that you and your children will be wearing a mask for several hours with few opportunities to take it off. Every child is different and some might find wearing a mask for longer periods of time much more difficult than others. Before flying, it’s a good idea to explain to your child that masks are going to be required so they know the expectations.
Where Are You Staying?
Depending on your destination, you might be limited in this regard. But staying in an Airbnb with just your family will be much safer than a hotel. However, even staying in a hotel is considered a fairly low-risk activity. Hotels across the country have implemented strict cleaning protocols to keep guests safe during their stay. Keep in mind that each hotel will have its own policies regarding wearing masks in public areas.
The other option is staying with friends or family. If your hosts are fully vaccinated, then the risk to your children is very low.
Travel Will Always Come With A Risk During This Pandemic
If you’re going to travel with your kids, you will have to accept a certain level of risk. But you can mitigate this risk by carefully choosing your destination, method of travel, and where you stay. The good news is that as more and more Americans are vaccinated, the more the country will open up and travel will become safer.