Every prudent traveler in the world canceled their spring break plans this year. And as those who did travel for spring break came home with fresh COVID-19 diagnoses, that prudence has been validated. Since then, borders around the world have been closing, and travel restrictions snapping into place. And now the entire northern hemisphere is asking: what about summer travel?
When the Canada-U.S. border closed to all but essential travel on the week of March 19, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canadian travel restrictions could continue for “weeks to months” to help slow infection rates. His words might have more impact than most, delivered from the front step of his own home after his family was exposed and his wife tested positive for the disease after a political visit to the U.K.
Maciej Boni, a Penn State epidemiologist in public health research, is less optimistic. “Things are going to be very difficult for twelve months or more,” he said when asked by CNN Travel about potential summer travel. “Vacations may have to be canceled. Social interactions will look different. And risk management is something we’re going to have to think about every morning when we wake up.”
“Different countries can be in different phases of the pandemic at any point in time and different parts of the same country can also be in different phases of a pandemic,” the CDC has written in discussing the global risks of the virus. Tourists traveling internationally have played a large part in the global spread of the disease, most of which never knew they were infected.
With over a third of all Americans currently discouraged from leaving their homes, let alone go out traveling, things don’t look great for summer travel right now. Perhaps this is a summer to spend in research for a spectacular post-COVID vacation, when borders are open and barriers lifted again.
“There are ongoing investigations to learn more,” the CDC writes. “This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it is available.”
Photo: Shutterstock