COVID-19 has us all rattled. If we’re going to control this pandemic, we all need to do our part. For most of us, that means following the guidelines laid out to minimize the spread of the virus and flatten the curve.

If you had plans to fly, you might have to postpone them. As tempting as some of those cheap flight offers may be, the risk of spreading the virus may not be worth it. While travel is not yet forbidden, it has become riskier than it used to be.

As an RV rental company, we’re not qualified to give health advice, but we can help direct you to those who are. Before making any travel plans, consult the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, as well as health departments where you live. These organizations have the most up-to-date and reliable information regarding this pandemic.

But if you are traveling, there are ways to mitigate the risk both to yourself and to those around you. Try these steps: 

• Be aware. Check with your destination’s health department to see if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in the area.
• Avoid crowds. The chance of contracting — or spreading — the virus is higher the more people you come into contact with. Avoid gatherings such as sporting events, concerts, festivals, religious gatherings, and public transport wherever possible.
• Be careful. The risk COVID-19 poses is higher for the elderly and people of any age with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, COPD, or heart and lung disease. If you are in a high-risk group, it may be better not to travel at all.
• Be respectful. Not only should you be thinking about protecting yourself during your travels, but you should also be protecting the communities you are traveling to. Wipe down surfaces after you touch them, avoid unnecessary public outings, and do not travel to communities if you are exhibiting signs of the virus. 
• Be prepared. If you come into contact with someone carrying COVID-19 on your travels, or you head to an area where the coronavirus is widespread, you may need to isolate for 14 days after you get back home. Make sure you have enough supplies at home to last at least this long so that you can prevent yourself from spreading the virus to others.

Methods of travel

Not all methods of travel have the same level of risk as others. Generally, any trip that brings you into contact with a large group of people is riskier than one that allows you to control your exposure. Think carefully about the pros and cons of any travel plans you may have before deciding to go on your journey. 

Cruises

 Pros

• Cruise ships often have medical staff onboard and may offer guests a complimentary medical consultation.
• Cruises are extra-vigilant cleaning and sanitizing a ship especially during outbreaks of illness such as the coronavirus.

Cons

• Exposure to a large group of people or the inability to stay six feet apart from other guests makes transmission of a respiratory virus easier.
• Close quarters on cruise ships make it extremely hard to self-isolate in the event of an outbreak.
• Some governments have banned ships from landing during outbreaks of COVID-19.

Flights

Pros

• Flights are cheaper and less busy than ever due to decreased demand and fears over COVID-19.
• Air travel is still the quickest way to travel long distances.

Cons 

• Exposure to other people. On a plane, you have to sit in a seat next to someone who may have the virus without even knowing it. Close contact makes transmission of COVID-19 much more likely.
• Airlines operate on narrow profit margins of the best of times. When a flight lands, cleaning crews have a very short time to clean seats, food trays, bathrooms, and other surfaces.  
• Additional health screening measures have been brought in to many airports to try and prevent the spread of the disease. While these measures are in place for your protection, they add to the process of boarding a flight. Delays can cause you to miss your plane and find yourself stranded, so you may need to allow extra time before your flight.

Hotels 

Pros

• If there is an outbreak of the virus, it’s possible to self-isolate inside your room.
• Cleaning staff usually use high-grade cleaning products designed to sanitize a variety of surfaces in rooms. 

Cons

• Hotel rooms and some hotel public areas are small and designed to hold as many people as possible. The more people that are in a confined area, the more likely the possibility of  COVID-19 spread. Remember, when you are in a space with people, it’s best to follow the rules about staying six feet away and having less than ten people in a space.
• Hotel rooms often turn over between guests in a matter of hours, limiting the time allowed for cleaning and disinfection. While businesses across the hospitality industry are taking extra precautions during the COVID-19 outbreak, it might be tough to know if a deep clean has been performed in your room. If you think something in your room needs a little extra TLC, notify a member of the staff for help. 

RV Travel 

Pros

• In an RV, you are in control of your environment. If you want to clean every hour, then you can clean every hour.
• Since you handle the cleaning yourself, you can properly disinfect every surface and know that you got it cleaned to your own standards.
• You control who comes in and out of the rig. You can significantly reduce the risk of contamination by not letting anyone inside and disinfecting anything you bring from outside the moment it comes into the RV.
• In the case of a rental RV, vehicles are not turned over nearly as fast as planes or hotel rooms. Often, the span between the last renter leaving and you arriving could be days if not weeks. The potential delay allows plenty of time for owners to clean and disinfect the RV. 
• You control where you go and can change travel plans on the fly. If an outbreak happens at your destination, you can go somewhere else.

Cons

• You’ll need to make sure that you stock the RV with all the cleaning supplies you need. The same goes for food, since some areas are suffering from shortages of particular products. Bring everything you think you’ll need in case you can’t get it elsewhere.
• You can’t seal yourself off from the outside world completely. You’ll need to buy food and get gas, and this brings you into contact both with other people and with the surfaces they have touched. Make sure to wash your hands regularly, especially before and after a trip to the grocery store or the gas station. Hand sanitizer or even protective gloves can also prove useful.

Staying Safe

Ultimately, only you can choose whether to travel during this pandemic or not. But if you do, think carefully about the kind of trip you’ll be taking. No matter where you go or how you get there, make sure to follow the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization carefully. The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving situation, and it’s essential to keep up with new developments and restrictions. 

While you are on the road, the staff at Outdoorsy is here to help you along your journey. Our Never Idle Journals on current state park and national park campground statuses are updated almost daily and are great resources for people looking for a place to stay for the night. 

Disclaimer: Your safety is our highest priority. This article is about the general and potential benefits of RV travel during these difficult times. ALWAYS follow the guidelines of your state and local officials. If you are at higher risk for the coronavirus, please follow your doctor’s guidelines on COVID-19 travel safety.