It’s spring break season for area schools, just as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations begin to rise nationwide.
As of April 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still doesn’t recommend domestic or international travel, even for fully vaccinated people. But, St. Joseph County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Mark Fox said he expects many people to travel anyway.
“There’s a lot of pandemic fatigue, you know, I’ll be realistic about that," he said. "But, there are things that people can do if they choose to travel to reduce risk.”
Fox said that means taking every possible precaution – he said to get tested both before and after traveling and to travel by car, if possible. If flying is necessary, Fox recommends booking a direct flight to reduce time spent in the airport.
Berrien County Health Officer Nicki Britten said wherever travelers go and however they choose to get there, avoiding crowds is critical.
“There are some states that are allowing really large gatherings," she said. "It’s not advisable to be around really large groups of people at this point.”
Britten said maintaining social distance will reduce the chances of getting sick or bringing the virus back to the local community.
Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.
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