Bryan Adam’s sang about how awesome the summer of ’69 was for him. The summer of 2020 probably won’t quite live up to such a level for most people. I’m not sure anyone could sing about it, except well, perhaps Weird Al. Maybe he can parody the song? But whatever the case, I hope we all try to make for the best summer possible, even during the middle of a global pandemic. And I hope whatever plans those are include getting out of the house at some point and having a socially responsible vacation.
With the unofficial start of summer, for Memorial Day weekend my wife and I are going on vacation. My in-laws have a vacation home in the Myrtle Beach area, and after much consideration, we have decided we want to get out of the house and have a change of scenery after spending the last 2 months in relative quarantine. We also have plans this summer to go visit my parents in Virginia for a couple of days.
What Are Your Summer Vacation Plans During The Pandemic?
In preparation for this podcast, I decided to take a poll of my followers on Twitter. I simply asked if they were going on vacation for Memorial Day weekend, and if so, whether or not they would observe social distancing guidelines. Of those that responded, 64.7% said they were staying home; 23.5% said they were going on vacation and would not observe any restrictions; and 11.8% said they were going on vacation, but would observe social restrictions during the pandemic.
Current CDC Recommendations For Reducing The Spread Of COVID-19
Currently, the CDC has a number of recommendations for protecting yourself from COVID-19, and how to reduce the spread. This is what you can do:
- Frequently Wash your hands
- Avoid close contact, avoid large groups, and keep 6 feet apart.
- Wear a face mask in public.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
While practically quarantining ourselves probably continues to remain the best way to fight against the further spread of COVID-19, I believe we are currently at the point where living in a relatively complete shutdown is not only undesirable, but probably not a prudent way to handle the situation due to all the secondary issues that living in perpetual shutdown mode can create.
As a result, I think for the time being, especially since “the curve” has flattened and is in decline, I think we can take a hybrid approach to being out safely in public while responsibly exercising the freedom to enjoy life outside our homes. Of course, if numbers suddenly begin to spike, and a second wave results, this might prove to be a bad approach and will need to be modified.
Here are the COVID-19 numbers in the United States as of 5/20/2020:
Our Personal Rules For Vacation During The Pandemic
Thinking about these things, my wife and I, who are concerned about our health and well being as well as that of our neighbors, have decided to put together our personal rules for summer vacation during the pandemic. These will be our general rules for the road in light of current CDC recommendations. Be sure to listen to the podcast above for a further discussion of the points below!
- We are staying away from hotels and other places of public lodging. We are only staying at places where we can be among friends and family.
- We will avoid shopping malls and other places where a massive number of people gather in closed and confined spaces.
- We will enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.
- We will continue to avoid eating at sit down restaurants. We will get takeout, delivery, and when possible, prepare our own meals. Consider making some of our favorite recipes.
- We will wear masks at all times when in public, and frequently wash our hands.
I’d love to hear from you! Please comment below or contact me to let me know what your vacation plans are and what personal guidelines you will observe during the Summer of 2020.
