New York Times With U.S. Covid-19 cases at very high levels and new vaccines still several weeks away, we asked experts for their advice on when and where to wear a mask. It is the height of the summer travel season: Airplanes and cruises are packed, hotels are booked, and travelers are crowding theme parks and attractions. Yet throughout the United States, Covid-19 is currently circulating at very high levels.
During the peak of the pandemic, masks were ubiquitous in hotels, airports and other public places. They were required to fly, and many travelers donned them elsewhere to help reduce the transmission of the deadly coronavirus. Since the end of the mandate, and as travel has returned to or surpassed prepandemic levels, most travelers have abandoned preventive measures, particularly masks.
With updated vaccines not available until the fall, experts are reminding travelers about the benefits of masking, particularly in airports and poorly ventilated indoor environments.
Here’s what you need to know about masks and your travel plans. What’s going on with Covid right now?
The number of reported cases appears to be climbing both in the United States and abroad. In the United States, there are “very high” levels of the virus in wastewater samples nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization reported that cases around the globe rose by 30 percent from June 24 to July 21, compared with the previous 28 days. Put simply: There’s a lot of Covid out there.