Even with the new strains of COVID-19 surfacing and infection rates rising, people are starting to get out and enjoy life again. Ballparks and concert venues are alive with people, farmer’s markets and festival vendors are showing off their wares, even cruise lines have started to ship out to fun and exciting destinations.
As we start to navigate our way through this next chapter of dealing with COVID-19, we should keep precautions in mind when traveling or attending functions that have a large number of people.
Large scale events are back, and attendance is rising even though the CDC still recommends avoiding large events. Small gatherings are also much more common than they were a year ago. The CDC has provided some guidelines if you are planning to attend a large or small gathering.
If you are the event planner, be sure to take a look at your local, state, and federal guidelines and make sure you have plenty of personal protective equipment on hand.
If there are people on your invitation list who are at high risk for COVID-19 or who have COVID-19 symptoms, it is safer for them to stay home or attend virtually, rather than potentially being infected or infect others.
Keep the following in mind: indoor events are riskier than outdoor events, and the length of the event can also increase your risk of being infected. The more people at an event and the more interaction the group has, the higher the risk. Everyone should practice physical distancing and wear a mask regardless of the event, especially for those not vaccinated.
The CDC also provided some tips to help you travel safely so you can enjoy your time.
For those who are fully vaccinated, the CDC recommends wearing a face mask when using any sort of public transportation within the United States, including airports and other transportation hubs.
Throughout your travels, be sure to follow all state and local guidelines for mask wearing and social distancing. When you get back from your trip, be sure to monitor yourself for signs of COVID-19.
For those that are not fully vaccinated, The CDC recommends holding off on travel until you are fully vaccinated. If this is not possible, in addition to wearing a mask, avoid crowds and maintain a six-foot distance from anyone you are not traveling with. Be sure to wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer often.
Once you return, the CDC recommends getting tested for COVID-19 and quarantine for a full seven days. If you are not able to get tested, quarantine for ten days. It is best to stay away from those who have an increased risk of getting COVID-19 for fourteen days. Be sure to self-monitor for any signs of COVID-19.
For questions about how your plan covers you while traveling, as well as other questions about Medicare, reach out to the specialists at VibrantUSA.
