Want to get away? Be sure you do it safely | Quigley - nj.com

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The last two weeks of July is the time most Americans take vacation, travel agents say.  Maybe you are hoping to finally go some place.  After months at home you got a haircut and bought a bathing suit. You’re restless and want to travel.

If you are lucky enough to have a pool, patio or a backyard swing set, chances are you’ve been using that for months now.  Even in chilly weather, it was an escape of sorts.  Now you want to really get away.

So the big question is where to go.  The second question is how to get there.

Driving to the shore, the lake, the in-laws is reasonable.  You can pack your whole household into the car with the dog and whatever supplies you need.  But be cautious about offering a lift to a neighbor or allowing a teen to bring his/her untested BFF.  That cramped car could become a petri dish for infection.

Ships aren’t sailing yet, unless you count a quickie ride on one of the ferries, and trains are full of commuters, not vacationers, so maybe you are thinking about a plane.

Airlines promise enhanced sanitation and hands-free processes for validating your tickets.  They’re also saying they will keep middle seats empty, when possible, and save space between rows, when possible.  It’s that “when possible” phrase that means you risk being as crammed into tight spaces as you were a year ago.  Book carefully.

Experts say you can reduce your risk when flying.

Make sure your entire group is seated together to minimize contact with strangers.  If you are traveling alone, they recommend reserving the seat next to the window, so you aren’t inhaling spores shed by everyone who passes down the aisle.

Be cautious in airports with careless, maskless people getting too close. Carry disinfectant wipes and use them everywhere.  It’s easier to bundle kitchen-type wipes in a sealed plastic bag than to carry tiny travel wipes in individual packets.  Cheaper, too.  Pack as many as you want and bring a second bag for discards.  No worries about opening the tiny packets or having to get rid of the used ones.

Also be careful when you’re crumbling up them up to discard.  Make certain you don’t touch the outside, the part you just wiped with, possibly transferring germs to your hands or clothes.

You know to wipe down your armrest and tray table and anything you use in the rest room.  But don’t forget about the handle of the overhead baggage compartment, the top of the seat in front of you that you use to pull yourself up, and the safety card and magazine in the chair pocket.

Most airlines will electronically take your temperature at the gate, but if you are feeling poorly, it’s best to take your own temp at home, saving the expense and embarrassment of being turned away in public.

I’ve been surprised at how many people wear gloves and then touch everything around, including their nose and mouth, with the gloves on.  Soiled gloves are just as infectious as soiled hands.  Wearing them gives a false sense of security.  Use gloves properly or not at all.

And when you get to where you’re headed, be just as careful as you were on the plane.  Even assuming the maid cleaned your hotel room scrupulously, do your own wipe-down of the bathroom handles, the tv remote, the mini-bar, and all the furniture on the balcony.  Same at the pool.

Use the luggage rack, not the bed, to unpack.  Then when everything is practically sterile, relax and have a great time!

A former assemblywoman from Jersey City, Joan Quigley is the president and CEO of North Hudson Community Action Corp.

Send letters to the editor and guest columns for The Jersey Journal to jjletters@jjournal.com.

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Want to get away? Be sure you do it safely | Quigley - nj.com
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