PAGE 6, CORONAVIRUS - Just the facts
MARCH 24-25, 2020
CORONAVIRUS: JUST THE FACTS | WORLDWIDE IMPACTS
Map of the COVID-19
outbreak as of
March 13, 2020.
TIVE
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Traveling During the Outbreak
Travel has been banned in
multiple countries affected
by COVID-19. People
throughout the United
States have seen major
delays in domestic travel,
with airlines cutting back
on the number of flights.
If you still need to travel for work or
family reasons, there are many things
to consider before buying a plane ticket
or loading up your car for a road trip.
BE SMART
One of the first things you should
ask yourself is whether COVID-19 has
been spreading where you’re going. If
the answer is yes, you may be at high-
er risk of exposure if you travel there.
Your risk of exposure to respiratory
viruses like COVID-19 may increase in
crowded settings, which is why all
major leagues in professional sports
have delayed or suspended their sea-
sons. This is especially true for partic-
ularly closed-in settings with little air
circulation if there are people in the
crowd who are sick.
Similarly, strong consideration
should be given to avoiding travel if
COVID-19 is spreading where you live.
You should avoid the risk of passing
COVID-19 to others during travel, par-
ticularly if you will be in close contact
with older adults or people with
severe chronic health conditions.
WHAT’S YOUR RISK LEVEL?
Older adults and people of any age
with serious chronic medical condi-
tions, such as heart disease, lung dis-
ease or diabetes, are at a higher risk
of contracting COVID-19. The CDC
recommends that travelers at higher
risk for COVID-19 complications
avoid all cruise travel and nonessen-
tial air travel.
WHAT IF YOU’RE EXPOSED?
If you have close contact with
someone with COVID-19 during trav-
el, you may be asked to stay home to
self-monitor and avoid contact with
others for up to 14 days after travel.
If you become sick with COVID-19,
you may be unable to go to work or
school until you’re considered nonin-
fectious. Consider these possible fac-
tors when traveling, as being exposed
to the virus can have a big impact on
your daily life or halt your profession-
al capabilities.
Depending on your unique circum-
stances, you should be open to delay-
ing or canceling your plans.