NY's Coronavirus Pandemic Travel Itch Grows, Experts Say

NEW YORK — Cooped-up New Yorkers should think twice they scratch their travel itches, experts warn.

The travel bug in the state is spreading as fast as coronavirus vaccination appointments get scooped up.

Travel agents at AAA Northeast have seen interest spike in recent weeks, said Robert Sinclair Jr., senior manager of public affairs with the company.

"Our agents are being swamped with calls, people trying to make plans for the summer, the fall and into next year," he said.

And AAA Northeast — which covers the Empire State and five nearby states — has also seen increased recent interest in tourists coming into the city, Sinclair said.

Times Square remains the number one tourist destination in the world, he noted.

But the surge in wanderlust comes at a precarious time in the coronavirus pandemic.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky recently warned of "impending doom" as COVID-19 cases rose across the country. Experts worry that complacency against the virus could allow it to take hold faster than vaccinations.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio even warned New Yorkers against holding big Easter and Passover gatherings.

"This is the last time we have to go through this — we will beat COVID once and for all in 2021 and then in 2022 all of our gatherings can go back to the way they were," the mayor said Thursday. "But, this year let's focus on safety."

For hopefully-vaccinated New Yorkers who absolutely can't stand being stuck in the city anymore, there are some travel safety tips to follow.

The CDC recommends that travelers be fully vaccinated, which takes about two weeks after a final dose. It also recommends taking a COVID-19 test one to three days before traveling.

Sinclair said air travel is a mixed bag, coronavirus safety-wise. He said air quality in airplanes is likely safer than in the cars travelers take to the airport.

It's sitting in the plane that's more of a concern when it comes to spreading COVID, he said.

"Not the air quality but the environmental surfaces and the close contact,” he said.

Sinclair said people who drive need to be aware of surfaces, like the plastic and steel of a gasoline pump, that could harbor the coronavirus. Consider rest areas a "petri dish," he said.

"You have to be careful if you use those facilities to sanitize yourself,” he said.

Overall, travelers just need to plan ahead more rigorously than they had to in the past, Sinclair said. He recommended travelers checking COVID-19 regulations in each state they travel to, which they can do so on this interactive AAA map.

"It’s so much more preparation that needs to be done now than in the past,” he said.

More information about AAA's travel resources, including contacts with agents, can be found here.