CDC adds 16 very high-risk destinations for covid-19 0:56
(CNN) -
As COVID-19 cases rise again in the United States, daily infection rates hit their highest level since February, due in large part to the highly contagious delta variant.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have again urged the use of a mask indoors, noting that even vaccinated people can become infected and transmit COVID-19. 19 to other people.
Meanwhile, many people have travel plans for the rest of the summer and the upcoming Labor Day weekend.
Should they cancel their vacation?
Is it safe to travel by plane?
What if you get together with family or friends on vacation?
What precautions must be taken?
And what about families with children too young to be vaccinated?
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To help answer our many questions about COVID-19 travel safety, we've turned to CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen.
Wen is an ER Physician and Visiting Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.
She is also the author of a new book, "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health," and a mother of two young children.
CNN: What should people consider when deciding whether to continue, change or cancel their travel plans?
Dr. Leana Wen:
The most important factor to consider is your family's medical risk. Specifically, are all family members vaccinated? If everyone is vaccinated and generally healthy, they are very well protected from getting seriously ill from covid-19. Many people in this circumstance might decide that they can take the risk of mild symptoms if they contract the coronavirus and stick with all of their original travel plans.
If someone in your household is not vaccinated or immunosuppressed, you can decide otherwise.
A very low-risk trip can be fine, for example, driving and then camping and hiking alone with your immediate family.
But if the trip is going to involve spending a lot of time indoors with unmasked and unvaccinated people, I would encourage vulnerable people not to go on the trip.
If some family members are going to go anyway, they could be quarantined for at least three days upon return and then get tested before meeting vulnerable members of their household indoors.
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Tourists sunbathing in Marbella, Spain, in June.
Jorge Guerrero / AFP via Getty Images
CNN: Would your advice depend on where you travel?
Wen:
Yes, but in the US about 95% of the population lives in areas considered by the CDC as having a high level of coronavirus transmission.
I would look at the specific area you are thinking of traveling to and what you would do there.
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If you go to a national park and the plan is to spend all your time hiking outdoors, the risk is very low.
It doesn't really matter if the community surrounding the park has a high transmission of covid-19, if you don't plan to interact with anyone in there.
That is very different than if you plan a week of museum visits, concerts, going to the theater and dining indoors.
If these activities happen in a part of the country with a lot of transmission of the virus, you will be constantly exposed to covid-19.
Vaccines protect you well, but they don't do it 100%.
The risk is cumulative, and the more high-risk settings you find, surrounded by people who are potentially carriers of the virus, the more likely you are to experience a post-vaccination infection even if you are vaccinated.
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CNN: What is your advice to people who have booked an international trip? Should they go?
Wen:
It depends.
Again, be sure to analyze your own medical risk and that of your family members.
Consider where you are going to go.
The CDC has updated information on covid-19 by country divided into four risk levels.
In addition, the US Department of State has useful information that includes the protocols you must follow to enter the country.
Make sure you know the requirements.
Some countries require, for example, recent negative tests, and others are beginning to require vaccination.
Keep in mind that the rules are constantly changing.
CNN: What if we got together for a wedding, would it be safe?
Wen:
Once again, it depends.
In many weddings people from different parts of the country or the world come together.
That adds risk, especially since there are many places with high levels of COVID-19 infection.
It would certainly help if the hosts required all attendees to be vaccinated.
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According to estimates based on CDC data, vaccinated people are eight times less likely to contract COVID-19 than unvaccinated people.
If the ceremony and reception are held outdoors, it would also reduce the risk.
The opposite, of course, would be the case with indoor gatherings of people of unknown vaccination status, who eat and drink and therefore do not wear masks.
That would be a high risk event.
Restrictions vary from country to country and the traveler's risk largely depends on their vaccination status.
Martin Bureau / AFP via Getty Images
CNN: Can we talk about means of transportation, specifically air travel? Is it still safe for vaccinated people? And the unvaccinated minors?
Wen:
Air travel is still relatively safe for vaccinated people.
Make sure you wear a high quality mask at all times, ideally an N95 or KN95 mask.
If you have to eat and drink, do it quickly to minimize the time you don't wear the mask.
Children too young to be vaccinated should also wear a mask, if possible with a minimum 3-layer surgical mask.
If they cannot keep the mask on during the entire trip, I would consider not taking the child unless it is an essential trip, such as a move to the other side of the country.
Children ask adults to wear face masks on planes 1:20
In my family, my husband and I travel by plane and wear N95 or KN95 masks all the time.
Our son, who is almost four years old, usually wears the masks well, and if we had a short trip of a few hours of flight, that would be fine.
But we have a 16-month-old daughter who is too young to wear masks.
We wouldn't feel comfortable taking her on a flight right now.
Other families may make different decisions based on their level of risk tolerance, as well as the value of the trip to them.
By the time we find ourselves in the pandemic, the risk is not worth it for us.
CNN: Driving, making rest stops, staying in a hotel along the way ... all of that is pretty safe from a COVID-19 point of view, right?
Wen:
Yes. Of course, you have to use common sense: wear masks when going to the bathroom at rest stops.
Order takeout instead of eating inside.
Go straight to your hotel room, and don't hang out in crowded hotel lobbies and bars.
CNN: What is your advice for families who want to rent a house together?
Wen:
Everyone is most likely fully vaccinated.
If there are people who are not vaccinated, or if the people who meet want to further reduce their risk, everyone who wants to meet can quarantine for three to five days and then get tested.
By quarantine I mean reducing your risk by not hanging out with other people indoors and not participating in higher risk activities like dining indoors.
I know this advice seems like we've taken a step back.
It's true, we have.
Covid-19 cases are on the rise again, and we have to deal with the more contagious delta variant.
Vaccination is the most important step to protect ourselves.
In addition, depending on our individual circumstances, we should consider other precautions to reduce risk and keep our families safe, while still enjoying the trips.
Covid-19 Tourism
