Many of us are returning to celebrating the holidays with our extended family for the first time in a while this year, and if you have children who are too young to be vaccinated, traveling can be especially anxiety-provoking. If you’re a parent and you do plan on traveling for the holiday, we have a few tips from parent and travel expert to help you plan your journey.
Self-quarantine
According to the CDC, vaccinated individuals do not need to self-quarantine before gathering, and unvaccinated individuals should self-quarantine for seven days prior to gathering. When it comes to kids, this decision comes down to the risk profile of those you will be seeing. If your children are too young to be vaccinated and you plan to see elderly or vulnerable relatives, a quarantine period is encouraged. Remember that some daycares and schools require children to quarantine after traveling, so take this into account with your planning.
Rapid tests
Rapid tests are an easy and painless way to add a layer of reassurance to your plans. Asking relatives to get rapid tests will help put your mind at ease and, if you find the at-home versions, it’s pretty convenient and relatively affordable.
How to travel
It’s unrealistic to stay six feet apart from people at all times, especially in crowded airports, but you can help keep your family healthy by ensuring that all children over two are wearing masks in public spaces and draping a breathable blanket over strollers and carriers. Direct flights can also help limit your exposure to large groups of people.
Set your boundaries and communicate effectively
Unfortunately, at this strange in-between stage of the pandemic, there is a lot of gray area when it comes to safety protocols. The reality is that we can’t predict what will happen, even if we take precautions, so your best bet is to decide on a course of action and communicate your boundaries and expectations clearly to all family members.
