It’s peak summer season: planes and cruise ships are full, hotels are booked solid, and travelers are crammed into theme parks and attractions. Yet COVID-19 is currently circulating in very high numbers across the United States.
During the height of the pandemic, masks were ubiquitous in hotels, airports and other public places. They were mandatory for flights and many travelers wore them elsewhere as well to curb transmission of the deadly coronavirus. Since the requirement ended and as travel has returned to or exceeded pre-pandemic levels, most travelers have forgone preventive measures, especially masks.
Since current vaccines will not be available until the fall, experts are advising travelers of the benefits of wearing masks, especially at airports and in poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
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Here’s what you need to know about masks and your travel plans.
What’s going on with COVID right now?
The number of reported cases appears to be rising both in the U.S. and abroad. In the U.S., there are “very high” levels of the virus in wastewater samples nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization reported that cases worldwide rose 30% from June 24 to July 21 compared to the previous 28 days. In short: There’s a lot of COVID out there.
How effective are masks? Which mask is the best?
People who want to minimize their risk of respiratory illnesses like COVID (as well as colds and flu) should wear a mask when traveling, experts say. Even if you’re the only person wearing a mask on a train or in an airport, a mask will still provide protection — provided you wear it correctly, meaning you cover both your nose and mouth.
“It doesn’t eliminate the risk, but it significantly reduces the risk of exposure,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, director of research and development at the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Healthcare System in Missouri. Opt for a high-quality mask such as an N95, a KN95 or a KF94, all of which filter out the vast majority of virus particles and are far more effective at reducing the risk of COVID infection than cloth or surgical versions. Masks should fit snugly against your face.
“If you have symptoms and have questions about it, I would wear a mask just to protect other people,” said Dr. Marc Sala, co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center in Chicago. The most common symptoms of COVID include cough, fever, sneezing, congestion, headache, muscle soreness, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues. Even people who are asymptomatic but have been exposed to COVID may consider wearing a mask.
If you test positive during a trip but cannot postpone the trip, you should wear a mask whenever you are around other people, Sala said.
Where should travelers wear a mask?
The CDC urges travelers to “consider wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor settings, including on public transportation and at transportation hubs.”
Al-Aly recommends carrying a few masks in your bag or pockets so you have them on hand when you enter a crowded indoor space. “Keep an eye on the situation,” he said. If you’re in a crowded indoor space like a train station or busy museum, you may want to put on a mask. Although airplanes filter and circulate the air, there’s still a risk when you’re in a confined space with large groups of people, Al-Aly said.
What is the travel industry’s stance on the issue of mandatory mask wearing?
Mandating masks on airplanes became a heated issue at the height of the pandemic, with travel industry officials arguing that it would hurt the recovery of a hard-hit industry.
The US Travel Association, a trade group that promotes travel to and within the country, believes that wearing masks should be left to individual travelers. It welcomed the lifting of mask requirements on US travel in 2022, calling it “another step toward endemic COVID control.” That stance has not changed.
The International Air Transportation Association, another industry group, argues that planes are designed to reduce the transmission of viruses on board. “Cabin air is exchanged every two to three minutes – much more frequently than in most other indoor spaces,” the agency said in a statement. “It is also filtered and flows from ceiling to floor, all of which help maintain a healthy climate on board.”
Passengers have the choice to wear masks at any time, the statement added, and many airlines provide them upon request.
Major cruise lines do not require guests to wear a mask, but do require passengers to undergo a health screening before boarding the ship. Additionally, some companies, including Carnival Cruise Line, recommend that their passengers check for up-to-date COVID vaccinations.
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