Macon doctor gives safety tips ahead of Christmas travel
According to the Transportation Security Administration, Sunday was the busiest day for U.S. air travel since the pandemic began. Whether by plane or car, many people traveled this Thanksgiving holiday.
Among those are Tiffany Biesterfeld and her family. They took a road trip to South Carolina. They met with her parents who quarantined beforehand, and her brother’s family who all got tested.
She says they followed all safety guidelines, so she’s not worried.
“We ate Thanksgiving outside as a picnic. The kids played outside the whole time, so my father was never in a building inside with us, who was the oldest among us,” said Biesterfeld.
If you’re someone who believes you were possibly exposed to COVID-19 around Thanksgiving, Dr. Jennifer Hoffman with Coliseum Health System says you still need to wait a few days to be tested.
“If you were going to get tested, the best time is probably somewhere around seven days post-exposure. That’s probably when the test is going to have the highest sensitivity,” said Hoffman.
Looking ahead toward Christmas, the Taylor family is in limbo. They’ve planned a trip to California, but because of the increased travel restrictions, they’re wondering if they should go.
“When we purchased tickets earlier this year, you figured by December, everything would be calmed down or they would have it under control,” said Greg.
“We’ve been waiting all year to go and see the family and spend time with them, so it’ll be really disappointing because we did Zoom calls for Thanksgiving everyone in their respective places,” said Vanessa.
If your trip is set in stone and you want to be safe, it’s recommended you quarantine for 14 days before you travel.
“The best thing is to quarantine for 14 days before, then get your test, then even once you’ve done that, if it’s at all practical where you’re going — this time of year, which it may not be — ideally, you would gather outside with masks on,” said Hoffman.