That said, social distancing should still be practiced, both in the water and on the deck. That could prove tricky in a resort where, say, 1,000-plus guests are sharing a single swimming hole.
Caplivski adds one more reassurance: “Air currents are in your favor.” But because people are unlikely to wear masks in the water, he also believes that “distance is key.”
The CDC’s recent update that surface transmission is low-risk brings new relevance to another pandemic travel debate: whether to allow for housekeeping. Whereas many hotels curbed these services or made them available by request only throughout much of the pandemic, the risk of having another person enter your room while you’re away, or of a housekeeper encountering the virus while on the job, both present a “very remote risk,” Weisenberg says, particularly if the hotel is discouraging employees from coming into work if they feel sick.
“Swimming is relatively safe because of the chlorine,” Talaat says. “Think about it: Chlorine is there to prevent infection.”
Dining out remains a concern while on the road, in all the same ways it does at home. “Eating outdoors, when you’re not in close proximity to others, in an area with natural ventilation, is far safer than indoor dining. Period,” says Weisenberg. Be particularly wary of indoor tables if a resort allows outsiders—meaning people who aren’t overnight guests—to come in for dinner, Talaat says, and avoid these situations entirely in cities or destinations that aren’t taking extensive precautions. (Toes-in-the-sand meals are always the right option, with or without a pandemic.)
Do I still need to get a Covid test when I get back?
If you travel internationally and are returning to the U.S., you’ll need a negative PCR test taken in the three days preceding your homebound flight, regardless of vaccine status. That covers you before you step on the plane, but it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily free to do as you please once you get back home.
Each state has its own rules on how returning travelers should behave in the days immediately following their trip. While the CDC says vaccinated travelers needn’t get tested after returning from an international trip, New York state recommends (but doesn’t require) a follow-up PCR test three to five days post-vacation. Schools and workplaces may also have individual rules; Talaat says that out of an abundance of caution, she refrained from sending her toddler to school for 10 days following her domestic travels, and she’d recommend others do the same if traveling with unvaccinated minors. But she considers it safe to go to the office. “Even if vaccinated people have had known exposure to Covid, they don’t need to isolate if they are asymptomatic,” she says.
As for my own travels, I found my oasis in Jumby Bay, a private island retreat with just 28 suites and villas off the coast of Antigua. It checked all my boxes and then some; the concierge team assured me that many of the staff are already vaccinated, and the hotel even offers private customs and border patrol service to minimize the wait at the airport.
I wouldn’t call my planning process fun. But with travel back on my horizon, I’m relieved and looking forward to a completely new experience for the first time in many long months. That alone has been a boon to my mental health.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.