Heading into the festive season, Americans are searching for ways they can travel safely during the holidays, despite record numbers of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S.
For some, it's to be with their friends and family, from whom they may have been separated all year. For others, it may be simply to alleviate the fatigue we all feel from quarantining for months on end.
Wellness company Eachnight recently surveyed 1,000 people, ranging in age between18 to 73, who've traveled amid the pandemic (i.e., since March 2020) about the types of precautions they took while traveling. People's perceived safety considerations affected everything from their methods of transportation and lodging choices to the length of their stays and the items they packed to help protect their health.
Of those surveyed, 36 had traveled for vacation purposes, 35 percent for work-related reasons, and 29 percent for emergencies or other personal reasons.
Jasmin Lee, sleep editor at Eachnight shared some insights from the study, saying: "The survey results showed that those traveling during the pandemic, no matter the trip purpose, brought along a kit of COVID-19 safety supplies and spent more money to travel safely, especially when flying."
Getting There
Over 75 percent of respondents revealed that they'd traveled by car, compared with the 15 percent who went by plane, eight percent by train and less than two percent via other methods. Interestingly, rail travelers enjoyed their journeys the most, while flyers reported enjoying their trips the least, probably due to the worries that surround sitting in airplane cabins.
More than half (57 percent) of those who flew spent extra money for direct flights, and 26 percent even purchased additional seats to guarantee adequate personal space onboard. En route, flyers reported that they took other such precautions as avoiding the airplane lavatory (51 percent), not sleeping on the plane (45 percent), and not touching tray tables and pocket holders (46 percent).
Accommodations
Of those surveyed, 50 percent chose to stay in hotels, which correlated with those who reported getting the best sleep during their trips. In hotels, people took precautions to minimize interpersonal contact, such as skipping housekeeping visits (24 percent).
Respondents also considered hotels' size to be a safety factor, with 47 percent believing that medium-sized hotels (accommodating 25-99 guests) offered the safest environment, compared to smaller or major hotels.
Packing Lists
Having a sense of control of their own health and safety indisputably helps travelers to better relax and enjoy their trips. Predictably, face masks were the most common protective item people packed (65 percent) and were cited as one of the top items that gave respondents a sense of safety, whether they stayed in hotels, motels or short-term rentals.
While rubber or nitrile gloves were the least-carried of any safety item, they actually helped travelers feel safer than any other product. Hand-sanitizer and towels rated as the second and third most-packed items, but had a less profound effect on travelers' peace of mind. Those who brought their own pillows were more likely to have slept well than those that didn't. And, as Eachnight pointed out, good sleep helps boost immunity.
"There are certain items that made more of an impact than others, which means travelers can be strategic about their packing," Lee pointed out. "Maybe this means packing rubber gloves in case you need to interact with public surfaces, bringing your own food to limit time spent at dining venues, and prioritizing sanitizing supplies over comfort items like pillows and linens if you're short on space."
Safety Spending
Respondents had also invested in health and safety items during the course of their travels and, the longer the trip, the more supplies they needed. Those whose trips lasted six days or more spent an average of $52 on cleaning and disinfectant products alone. They also spent an average of $31 on masks, $47 on face shields and $34 on hand-sanitizer. Even those who went out of town for just a couple of days spend around $33 on their mask supply.
Trains turned out to be the travel method that required passengers to spend the most on protective gear. Those who traveled by rail spent an average of $54 on pandemic-related supplies, while flyers spent $40 and drivers spent $29. It's possible that airplane travelers spent a bit less on supplies because airlines have been providing amenity kits and disinfectant wipes for free.
Lee advises, "If you're traveling by train, expect to spend a little more on your supplies, and if you really need to prioritize your sleep, bring a high-quality pillow, preferably in a protective case or bag."
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