Even though we’re still facing a pandemic, summer is here and chances are that you would love to enjoy the warmth of the sun, the smell of the ocean, and a chance of having a summer vacation. How do we navigate the pandemic and still enjoy a relaxing summer? While most countries are seeing a dip in new COVID-19 cases, the threat is still real.
In fact, experts have predicted a second wave of various infections to hit the US during the summer – although it will not be as high as it was at the peak of the pandemic. With vaccines and a cure for the virus still in development, it is likely we will be dealing with this virus for a while. But does that mean that summer plans are canceled?
Not necessarily! You can still enjoy your summer vacation in the midst of COVID-19. So how do we do that?
How To Enjoy Your Summer Vacation During COVID-19
Think outside of the box
This is a summer like no other. Hotels have been closed since the beginning of the year. Public attractions have been closed off to visitors for months. And even though such sites are opening up again, there is a lot of public wariness about actively participating. And this is understandable.
If you or a member of your family is in a group that is at a higher risk of getting COVID-19, you might want to think outside of the vacation box. Rethink what summer vacation in 2020 could look like.
- Could this mean you spend the summer in your city but you visit local attractions and sites around so you don’t have to sleep at a hotel or be at a crowded amusement park?
- Could a vacation mean you take a day trip to a location and come back the same day?
- Or will your summer vacation involve more home-made activities this year as compared to a location-bound one?
- Instead of a popular location that tends to be crowded, how about a quiet spot like a cabin in the woods?
There are several ways to rethink your vacation this year. You can do it.
Continue to protect yourself
If you’re adamant about visiting a location (that may be crowded or used by multiple people) for your summer vacation, it is important to continue to protect yourself.
While COVID-19 manifests differently in different people, the disease can be severe and lead to death. So continue to be vigilant.
Tips to remember as you vacation include:
- Wash your hands whenever you come back to your hotel room/accommodations from outside. We touch hundreds of surfaces per day and you never know when you’ve picked something up. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after you get back from enjoying the outside.
- Carrying hand sanitizers that contain 60-70% ethanol is smart as well. You can use these on the go and in areas where you need to clean your hands but may not have access to water and soap.
- Disinfect surfaces when you arrive at a location. Don’t go spraying the front desk at the hotel! However, once you do check in to your room, you can spray all the surfaces in the room with a commercially available disinfectant. Once you spray, allow the disinfectant to sit on the surface for at least 10 seconds before you wipe it off. This gives it enough time to kill viruses and bacteria that cause disease.
- While on vacation, continue to follow government guidelines for social distancing.
- Wear your sunscreen. This seems unrelated but unprotected exposure to the sun can affect your immune system. Your immune system allows you to fight infections. If it is compromised, that means it will not be effective. So wear sunscreen and protective clothing to protect yourself from harmful sun rays.
- If you are sick, it may be advisable to skip the vacation. Again, it is not worth putting your life in danger.
Joy starts with you
While we understand that you would like to get away from the stress of this year, joy does start as an internal solution. If you are taking care of your mental health and prioritizing self-care, it is possible to accept that this year’s summer vacation may be canceled. And it is in that frame of mind that rethinking what summer vacation is, can happen.
Therefore, start with working on you.
