Since 2022 is right around the corner, it makes sense to talk about the world’s state. We’re now close to two full years into the pandemic era. Covid-19 still exists, and now there are multiple strains with which we must contend.
Many people still want and need to travel for various reasons. Some want to do it for recreation, while others do so for work. Maybe you’re thinking about traveling for the first time since the pandemic started, and you’re mulling over whether doing so is safe.
We’ll talk about different travel methods and how dangerous each one is right now.
Driving in 2022
There’s no denying that driving remains one of the safest travel options if Covid-19 still worries you heading into 2022. If you’re driving your personal vehicle and going on a longer trip, you might wonder why the check engine light goes on. You’re not likely to wonder about whether the stranger seated next to you might have the coronavirus or not.
This is your biggest concern if you decide to fly. If you drive, you’re presumably in the car by yourself. If you are driving your own vehicle, you also don’t need to fret about whether the last person who used it might be Covid-19 positive.
The CDC and the WHO seem to agree that even if you decide to rent a car and take it on a trip, you’re probably not in too much danger. Car rental companies are being very good about taking safety precautions for their vehicles. They spray down each vehicle’s interior with disinfectant before you rent it. The probability that you will contract Covid-19 from picking it up off the steering wheel or another surface is low.
However, it is not entirely inconceivable. That is why individuals with an immunocompromised condition might still feel like car rental for travel isn’t a viable option for them.
Flying in 2022
The problem with driving, either your own car or a rental, is that you can only do so if your destination is within the continental United States. Also, even if it is, it might be on the completely other side of the country. It will take you days to drive from one coast to the other, and it would take you only a few hours if you decided to fly.
International travel is still only possible if you fly unless you choose to travel by boat, which is generally extremely impractical. That means if you want to travel internationally for work or pleasure, you’ll need to assume some risk element to do so.
All public airlines still have traveler mask restrictions in place. They will not allow anyone on a flight who does not agree to wear a mask, and the public knows this by now. You might have seen YouTube videos of individuals becoming frantic in airports because the gate attendant tried to enforce a mask mandate, and the would-be passenger does not want to do it.
You Must Consider How Much of a Risk You’re Willing to Take
Even if someone agrees at the gate to wear a mask before they fly, it is always possible that they will take their mask off once they’re in the air. The flight attendants might tell them to put it back on, but they could resist. If that happens, you’re dealing with a rambunctious individual in an enclosed space who may or may not have Covid-19.
Most flights happen these days without incident, but you have to allow for these possibilities if you are traveling by plane. Plane or car are still the most realistic travel options for most people, and you need to consider your condition if you’re going to try either one of them.
The CDC and the WHO also agree that you are at much less risk of hospitalization and death from Covid-19 if you get a vaccine and a booster. Both vaccines and boosters are now widely available, and nearly all credible doctors and scientists agree on their efficacy.
This doesn’t mean that travel is completely safe, though, so you need to think about your age, how strong you are, what underlying conditions you have, etc. That is travel’s state going into 2022.
If you want to travel, it will probably be like this for the foreseeable future. You assume certain risks if you leave home and go on a trip, but if you take the precautions we mentioned, you might be okay with that.
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