我的家庭应该飞翔吗？最新冠状病毒旅行建议和注意事项

查看疾病控制和预防中心(疾控中心)和家长网的《新冠肺炎指南》,了解有关统计数据、疾病传播和旅行建议的最新信息。

冠状病毒（新冠肺炎)已经传播到几乎每个国家——包括美国，它现在是世界上确诊病例最多的国家。在整个2020年，随着冠状病毒病例激增，大多数国家都有旅行限制，甚至禁止来自美国的游客。

一月12日，美国疾病控制和预防中心(疾控中心)发布命令，要求所有国际旅行者——以及在国外旅行的美国人——在进入美国之前，新冠肺炎病毒检测呈阴性。现在，随着美国总统拜登宣誓就职，更多的冠状病毒旅行规定——包括在机场和飞机上戴口罩——已经实施。

也就是说，疾控中心最近放宽了旅行建议，敦促未接种疫苗的美国人避免不必要的旅行，但只要接种疫苗的人采取适当的安全预防措施，他们就可以获得许可。

RELATED:关于冠状病毒的所有知识(COVID-19:)关注父母指南考虑到这些限制和建议，旅行者可能会怀疑坐飞机是否安全。这是最新冠状病毒旅行建议的摘要，这样你就可以决定是否应该取消航班。专家们还权衡了在疫情旅行时要采取的预防措施。

一家人戴着口罩坐在机场旅行

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Current CDC Recommendations

The CDC recommends putting off travel until you're fully vaccinated (two weeks after your last shot), and even then, it's best to take safety precautions. Here are latest travel recommendations.

Domestic Travel and COVID-19

• Domestic travel is OK for vaccinated individuals, though they should still wear a mask, social distance, avoid crowds, and wash hands frequently. They can also skip self-quarantining and don't need to get a COVID-19 test before or after travel unless specifically required.
• If you're not vaccinated and traveling domestically, the CDC recommends that you get tested one to three days before your trip, adhere to standard safety practices while traveling, get tested again three to five days after traveling, and self-quarantine for a full seven days. If you decide to skip the second test, it's recommended that you quarantine for at least 10 days before being around others.
• Don't travel "if you were exposed to COVID-19, you are sick, you test positive for COVID-19, or you are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test," says the CDC.

International Travel and COVID-19

• International travel is also considered safe for vaccinated Americans. However, it may pose more of a risk than domestic travel, so you'll still want to follow all recommended safety precautions. You don't need to get tested before leaving the U.S. unless your destination requires it. But according to the CDC, "All air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States." It's also recommended that you get a COVID-19 test three to five days after travel—and that goes for all travelers, vaccinated or not. Fully vaccinated travelers can skip self-quarantining after returning to the U.S.
• If you're not vaccinated, the CDC recommends delaying international travel.

Note that for any travel, whether domestic or international, vaccinated parents with unvaccinated kids may want to proceed with caution and weigh the risks of traveling before booking a trip. Also check state, local, airline, and destination travel restrictions before booking your trip to make sure there's nothing else you'll need to do.

• RELATED: Everything Parents Need to Know About the Coronavirus Vaccine

CDC "Level Four" Travel Advisories

In an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus, the CDC and the U.S. State Department have issued a "level four" status—which means you should avoid all travel to them—on many international destinations where the COVID-19 risk is considered "very high." While early travel advisories were on China, South Korea, and Iran, the widespread transmission of COVID-19 has forced more restrictions.

It's a good idea to check the CDC to see which locations are considered lower risk before booking your trip.

• RELATED: Everything Parents Need to Know About the Coronavirus Vaccine

How Can I Prevent COVID-19 While Traveling?

Unfortunately there's much uncertainty regarding COVID-19, according to Miryam Wahrman, Ph.D., author of The Hand Book: Surviving in a Germ-Filled World. And while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson), people under 5 aren't eligible to get them yet. That's why it's still important to take safety precautions while traveling.

For unvaccinated people, the CDC recommends the use of face masks in public settings where social distancing might be difficult, and that would definitely apply on an airplane. In fact, it's a federal law for all people (vaccinated or not) to wear face masks in airports and on planes.

Practicing proper hand hygiene is also key to prevent COVID-19 transmission. "Wash your hands with soap and water—especially before eating and touching your face," says Kathleen DiCaprio, Ph.D., an infectious disease expert from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine who helped develop the vaccine for the Ebola virus. Scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse with water, and thoroughly dry with a clean paper towel.

There are also other ways to prevent transmission when traveling by plane. Use alcohol-based sanitizer or disinfectant wipes on items other people have touched, such as tray tables and armrests. Take measures when going through security, when "your stuff touches bins that held other people's stuff and could pick up germs," says Dr. Wahrman. She recommends bringing a few clear Ziploc bags, and then sticking your items in these bags before putting them in the bins. It's also worth checking what safety measures the airline is taking to make travel safer for its customers. United Airlines, for example, requires all its employees to be vaccinated and has partnered with Clorox and the Cleveland Clinic to ensure it meets the latest disinfection protocols during every flight.

• RELATED: How the New, More Infectious COVID-19 Strain Is Different and What Parents Need to Know

Finally, "if you see that there's somebody who looks visibly sick, try to create a little distance," says Dr. Wahrman. Granted, this might be easy in waiting rooms and baggage claim, but not so much if you're stuck next to a sick person on the plane.

Also remember it's possible that "you could be asymptomatic and still contagious," says Dr. Wahrman. This means someone you encounter might look perfectly healthy but is actually carrying the coronavirus. "Just be aware of the things you've been in contact with that could carry viruses and bacteria from other people," says Dr. Wahrman. 

So, Should I Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

At the end of the day, "you have to make a personal decision about the risk you're taking," says Dr. Wahrman. You're not required to cancel your plans, but social distancing is still recommended for unvaccinated people, and that might be a little tricky on an airplane or in an airport. You have to do what's best for you and your family, but experts do recommend staying home right now if you haven't been vaccinated.

"At this point, people who are traveling or plan to in the future should be aware of the certain travel restrictions and periodically check the CDC website on these restrictions. It may be helpful to check for any updates from the airlines and/or the airports they are arriving to or departing from as well," says Dr. DiCaprio.

• By Nicole Harris