Best practices for people returning from holiday travel
Millions of Americans are heading home after traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday despite appeals from health officials to stay put.
“Just getting gas to head home,” Jeff Roberts told News Channel 3 before heading home.
“We came down here to Palm Springs to visit an old friend of ours,” Douglas Chapman said also before heading home from holiday travel.
The California Department of Public Health says people returning from travel should self-quarantine for 14 days.
Dr. Anthony Fauci addressed those who decided to travel.
“The travel that has been done has been done," Dr. Fauci said. "Right now, as people go back we want to urge them if they’ve been in situations outside the family setting in which they really don’t know the level of exposure to be really careful when you return from the place you went or other people come back into your house that you’ve really got to understand the importance of trying to prevent further spread and further surge," he added.
We asked some travelers if their visit was worth the risk.
“Oh gosh yes, it was more than worth it for the one day we were down here,” Chapman said.
“I think it is if you practiced your social distancing, wear a mask when you’re supposed to and around people that you know are good," Roberts shared.
The CDC's guidelines for "After you travel" are to practice social distancing and wear a mask.
They also say to wear a mask inside your home for 14 days if there are people in your home who did not travel with you.
Other best practices are to wash your hands and keep an eye out for symptoms.
Health experts say symptoms can show up several days after the moment of infection and some people are asymptomatic.
Dr. Fauci suggests getting tested as soon as you get back from traveling.
“There almost certainly will be an uptick because of what has happened with the travel," Dr. Fauci said. "We understand the importance of families getting together and it’s just something we have to deal with that we will likely have an increase in cases," he added.
For more from the California Department of Public Health regarding traveling visit: https://bit.ly/36lmyVw
For more guidelines from the CDC visit: https://bit.ly/33rKIM2
