People all over the world are itching to travel. For patients who have rare and serious diseases, going on vacation always requires an additional layer of prep. Now add COVID-19 precautions to the list.
Here’s the current advisory from the U.S. Centers for Disease control: Delay travel until vaccinated. But once vaccinated, people can safely travel in the United States. Masks are still recommended in tight spaces, such as airplanes and other mass transit.
Be aware of the state and local rules where you’ll be visiting as they vary, the CDC says. Infection rates are dropping in the U.S. and you can check the location where you’re headed to see what the trend is there.
You also can ask your health care team to get their input on whether it’s safe for you to travel, given your health considerations. For those who have immune system problems, there’s a study underway to check the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Questions about vaccine effectiveness have also been raised about people on immunosuppressive medicines, such as transplant recipients. It’s a topic of discussion on the TransplantLyfe platform.
If you do choose to travel, these tips can help you care for your condition away from home:
- Pack enough medication and ensure it’s kept at the right temperature while you’re traveling.
- Take a doctor’s note about your medication and your condition, which can be helpful when traveling by plane.
- Check what the rules are for taking medical equipment on board an airplane.
- Know where you can access emergency medical care at your destination, just in case.
Get more travel advice from patients and caregivers in this video:
