As Spring Approaches, DC-Area Travelers Cautioned to Mitigate Spread of COVID-19

As the spring season approaches, some people may want to hit the road and head out of the region. Health officials have suggested ways to stay safe and remind residents about restrictions. 

“If they do decide to travel, being very careful and cautious about where they go,” Montgomery County Health Officer Travis Gayles warned.

Monday, Montgomery County Public Schools sent a travel recommendation letter to parents and guardians reminding them about restrictions.

It read in part, “Students who choose to travel outside of Maryland and its adjacent jurisdictions (Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and D.C.) should take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of returning and self-quarantine.”

The letter goes on to say that the “guidance applies to spring break and any other travel a student may take during the school year and it also applies regardless of vaccination status.”

“We don’t want to have COVID 19 brought from other places where there may be higher levels of community transmission,” Gayles said.

Dr. Mona Gahunia, an infectious disease expert, said people should avoid public spaces like airports and train stations.

“So car travel is definitely safer if you can make that happen. And then limiting stops along the way to your destination,” Gahunia said. 

In D.C., there is still a travel restriction in place from every state except Hawaii and North Dakota. Meanwhile, at Reagan National Airport, people board flights to Miami. 

“What we don’t want to have happen is a set up where we’ve done such a really good job of absorbing this second wave throughout the winter and are seeing the numbers improve -- we don’t want to see those numbers go back up,” Gayles said.

And, as a reminder, anyone entering the District from certain coronavirus hot spots following nonessential trips must still self-quarantine for two weeks.