Note: This post was published prior to changes in public transportation masking requirements that were announced in April 2022. Please refer to the CDC for current guidance and resources (which will still vary by location). As you will see in many of my future posts about trips, I am focused on maintaining my health and safety as I travel. You will still see photos of me in a mask because that is my preference and wearing it can also keep those around me safer. As you'll see in this post, I'm also fully vaccinated and boosted.
After nearly 2 years of not traveling, I took my first trip –– around the peak of the omicron variant. I have been terrified at the idea of going anywhere outside the confines of my apartment, but the opportunity to fly to Las Vegas for a weekend presented itself and I decided to go. You can read more about my Vegas trip in my Recently Added posts. Traveling during a pandemic is both similar and different from travel prior to the pandemic. While I could write this as a part two to my flying tips post, I these are particularly extraordinary circumstances which warrant a standalone post. Based on my experience and what I've learned from that experience, I am going to present information that you may find helpful should you make plans to travel as the pandemic continues.
Masks and Airport Security
When traveling on any public transportation in the United States, federal law mandates that each passenger wears a face mask for protection and aid in preventing the spread of coronavirus. This includes wearing masks throughout airports. Security checkpoints usually require seeing your face to ensure that it matches your ID card or passport, but I learned that lowering your mask is not always requested by TSA agents. For my flight to Las Vegas, I was asked to lower my mask for the agent to see my face. However, I was not asked to do this when I arrived at the airport for my return flight. I wore an N95 mask throughout the duration of my trip. It wasn't the easiest mask to pull down for a quick glance at my face or even to take a sip of water, but it was highly effective at keeping me protected!
Safety Measures Vary by Location
From what I could tell, most if not all casinos in Las Vegas required all visitors to wear masks unless actively enjoying food or drinks. There didn't appear to be any obvious enforcement of this requirement, but I would say that people were generally mindful of the rule and seemed to be doing a much better job of correctly wearing masks than I expected. The casinos I went to had hand sanitizing stations, but some even had mask stations next to the hand sanitizer. These were resources that people were actually using. In my post about my weekend in Las Vegas, I highlighted my day at the Raiders football game. Prior to entering the stadium, I had to go to a health check tent where I showed my COVID-19 vaccination card. As a fully vaccinated guest, I was given a green wristband. I believe those who were not fully vaccinated had yellow wristbands. It was unclear what purpose this served. Although there was a sign upon entering the building stating that those with green wristbands were not required to wear a mask and those with the yellow bands must wear a mask, I didn't see anyone enforcing this rule.
It is important to know that such safety measures are the norm in some cities or states in the U.S. and for others, it's the complete opposite. My state has put laws and mandates into place that prevent mask requirements and many places do not even offer masks for visitors. However, you typically can find hand sanitizer and there's often the option to wash your hands.
Conclusion
The primary difference about traveling during a pandemic is having to constantly wear a mask. If you were ahead of the game like Naomi Campbell or other savvy travelers and had been wearing masks or sanitizing your hands and everything you touch, this isn't new to you at all. My mom taught me at an early age to frequently wash my hands, using sanitizing wipes for my seat on the air, and carrying hand sanitizer to use when desired. However, I had not been in the habit of wearing a mask when going places until the pandemic started. I think I will adopt this as part of my travel routine once the pandemic is over. As the pandemic continues, it is important to be aware of vaccine or mask requirements for your destination and the individual locations you plan to visit during your trip. The rules are different nearly everywhere you go. I recommend keeping drafting an itinerary or a general list of locations and activities with notes about what is expected of you as a visitor/guest. You don't want to show up somewhere you had been looking forward to visiting and be turned away because you did not have the proper mask or proof of vaccination. While I don't see myself traveling again during the pandemic, I don't feel quite as fearful of the idea now that I have done it. Just remember to take the necessary precautions for reducing the spread of coronavirus and be mindful of how tourism may negatively impact people who are residents of your destination!
Feel free to leave comments below, tweet (@KimiThoughts), or leave a post/message on Facebook (@KimisTravelThoughts) and share your experiences or concerns about traveling during the pandemic.