NEW YORK CITY – Caged New Yorkers should think twice about scratching their itchy travel, experts warn.
The city travel bug is spreading as quickly as the coronavirus vaccination dates are exhausted.
Travel agents at AAA Northeast have seen a surge in interest in the past few weeks, said Robert Sinclair Jr., senior manager of public affairs for the company.
“Our agents are inundated with calls, people trying to make plans for summer, fall, and next year,” he said.
And AAA Northeast – which covers New York City, the Empire State, and five nearby states – has also seen increased interest in tourists coming to the city lately, Sinclair said.
Times Square is still the most popular travel destination in the world.
But the surge in wanderlust comes at a precarious time in the coronavirus pandemic.
CDC director Rochelle Walensky recently warned of “impending doom” as COVID-19 cases spiked across the country. Experts fear that complacency with the virus could make it catch on faster than vaccinations.
Mayor Bill de Blasio even warned New Yorkers against holding large Easter and Passover gatherings.
“This is the last time we have to go through this – we will beat COVID once and for all in 2021, and then all of our gatherings in 2022 can be back to what they were,” the mayor said Thursday. “But this year we’re focusing on safety.”
For hopefully vaccinated New Yorkers who absolutely can’t stand being stuck in the city any more, here are some travel safety tips.
The CDC recommends that travelers be fully vaccinated, which takes about two weeks after a final dose. It is also recommended to have a COVID-19 test one to three days before departure.
Sinclair said air travel is a mixed bag, coronavirus to be on the safe side. He said air quality is likely safer in planes than in the cars that take travelers to the airport.
It’s sitting on the plane, which is more of a concern when it comes to the spread of COVID, he said.
“Not the air quality, but the surrounding surfaces and the close contact,” he said.
Sinclair said people who drive should watch out for surfaces like the plastic and steel of a gasoline pump that could harbor the coronavirus. Think of rest areas as “petri dishes,” he said.
“You have to be careful when using these facilities to rehabilitate yourself,” he said.
Overall, travelers just need to plan tighter ahead than in the past, Sinclair said. He advised travelers to review the COVID-19 regulations in each state they travel to, what to do about it interactive AAA map.
“There is so much more preparation to be done now than in the past,” he said.
For more information on AAA’s travel resources, including agent contacts, please visit here Here.
