With rising COVID-19 cases, how can families prepare for travel?

NEWSCENTER 5 AT 5:30. N:BE SCHOOL VACATION WEEK IS HERE TTHA MEANS A LOT OF TRAVELING WITH THE FAMILY SOMETHING WE HAVEN’T DONE A LOT , OF IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. ALI RAJA, EXECUTIVVIE CE CHAIRMAN OF EMERNCGEY MEDINECI AT MASSACHUSET GTSENERAL HOSPITAL. DR. RAJA, THANKS AS ALWAYS FOR BEING HERE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME .ERIKA: YOU SHARED YOUR TAKING A MUCH-DESERVED FAMILY VACATION NEXT WEEK. HEY,S U TOO. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVELING AGAIN ESPECIALLY WITH THE FAMI?LY >> WE AREOI GNG ALL THE WAY DNOW TO DISNEY WHICH THE BOYS HAVE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT FOR YEARS. WE HAVE HAD TO PUT IT OFF. THE SAME BASIC RULES WE HAVE BEEN FOLWILONG WITH TRAVELING OVER THE PAST YEAR OR OTW STILL APPLY. KEMA SURE YOU ARE VACCINADTE AND BOOSTED IF POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY YOUR KIDS NOW IF THEY ARE ABLE TO BE VACCINATED. IT IS ALSO A GREAT TIME TO TRAVEL AND BE OUTDOORS. IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT VACATIONS TO TAKE, GOING SOMEWHERE UYO CAN SPEND TIME OUTDOORS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. INORDOS, HAVE ACTUALLY GOTTEN COUNTY BY COUNTY DAAT ON THE CDC’S WEBSITE ABOUCOT VID RISKS. THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE GOING, A ROAD TRIP, THINK ABOUT THE VARIOUS PLACES YOU WILL BE STOPPING. OKLO UP THE RKIS OF COVID IN THOSE COUNTIES AND MAKE SPECIFIC DECISIONS ON WHEERTH OR NOT YOU SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT BE WEARING A MASK. THE CDC WEBSITE HAS THIS ALL LAID OUT. BEN: TRAVELING IS GBI FOR THIS WEEKEND FOR SO MANY REASONS. MANY FAMILIES WILL BE GATHERING FOR EASTER AND PASSOVER. AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW CASES ARE RISING HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS. WHAT WOULD YOU KEEP IN MIND FOR FOLKS AS THEY GET TOGETHER? YOU MENTIONED INDOORS IS IT A GOOD TIME IN A CROWD TO PUT A MASK ON? >>F I YOU ARE FULLY VACCINATED, CELEBRATING INDOORS WITH A SMALL GROUP IS SAFE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO OR ANYONE IS AT RISK F SOREVERE COVID YOU SHOULD WEAR A MASK. I’VE BEEN TALKING TO SOME FRIENDS AND THEY ARE GNGOI TO BE DOING VIRTUAL RELIGIOUS SERVICES THIS YEAR AND THAT IS FINE AS WELL. IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN A BIG CONGREGATION OF SOME SORT, I WOULD STILL RECOMMEND WEARING A MASK, JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW OWH IS AND WHO IS NOT VACCINATED OR WHO IS HAVING AN INFECTION WITH COVID. IF IT IS A LARGE GROUP I WAS STILL WEAR A MASK. ERIKA: CASES ARE RISING. HOSPITALIZATIONS, WHILE THEY HAVE GONE UP A BIT WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE HUGE SPIKE, HAS THAT BEEN YOUR EXPERICEEN AT MGH? >> IS. IAW S A COUPLE OF PELEOP WITH COVID BUT NEITHER HAD TO BE HOSPITALIZED WITH IT. THERE ARE 300 PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED ON THE STATE WHICH AISBOUTHE T 10TH OF THE 3000 WE HAD DURING OUR LAST SURGE. HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE STILL LOOKING PRETTY GOOD. BEN: WE LIKE THOSE NUMBERS. ERA:IK THANK YOU. HAVE A SAFE TPRI. HOPE IT’S A MAGICAL TIME.

With rising COVID-19 cases, how can families prepare for travel?

Updated: 12:09 PM EDT Apr 16, 2022

Mass. General’s Dr. Ali Raja says for anyone heading on a road trip, think about the various places you’re going to be stopping, and check the COVID-19 risk in each area, then make specific decisions on whether or not you should or shouldn’t be wearing a mask.Earlier this week, the Biden administration announced it will extend through May 3 the nationwide mask requirement for airplanes and public transit as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases. The order was set to expire April 18, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday extended it by two weeks. The administration had been hoping to roll out a more flexible masking strategy this week to replace the nationwide requirement. In a statement Wednesday, the CDC said it will take the time to “assess the impact the rise of cases has on severe disease, including hospitalizations and deaths, and health care system capacity.”Associated Press contributed to this report.

Mass. General’s Dr. Ali Raja says for anyone heading on a road trip, think about the various places you’re going to be stopping, and check the COVID-19 risk in each area, then make specific decisions on whether or not you should or shouldn’t be wearing a mask.

Earlier this week, the Biden administration announced it will extend through May 3 the nationwide mask requirement for airplanes and public transit as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases. The order was set to expire April 18, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday extended it by two weeks.

The administration had been hoping to roll out a more flexible masking strategy this week to replace the nationwide requirement. I

n a statement Wednesday, the CDC said it will take the time to “assess the impact the rise of cases has on severe disease, including hospitalizations and deaths, and health care system capacity.”

Associated Press contributed to this report.