Game time decision: Is it safe to travel by car from Charlotte for Thanksgiving?

For many, Thanksgiving marks the first of a series of holidays where we come together around a table with family and friends. Despite COVID-19 positivity rates spiking to highs not seen in most states since the beginning of the pandemic, including rising numbers in North Carolina and CDC advice to stay home, 56% of Americans still plan to travel out of town for Thanksgiving this year.

Gov. Roy Cooper released a County Alert System to track the severity of community spread in the state on a regional basis. While there are still no additional changes to the executive order for Phase 3 in the state, the rising positive test rate, now above 8%, and a national news cycle that’s rapidly filling up with alerts of city shutdowns across the country might have you rethinking your own Thanksgiving travel plans.

If you’re still planning to get on a plane, make sure to refer to these flight safety tips first. This holiday season, however, over three-quarters of travelers say they’re driving to their destination.

While getting in your car certainly can involve rubbing shoulders with fewer individuals between here and your Thanksgiving feast, CharlotteFive spoke with Dr. Althea Cunningham of Tryon Medical Partners to get her take on whether or not you really should get behind the wheel next week or instead opt for a friendly family FaceTime.

Would you recommend traveling for Thanksgiving?

“With the cases going up, it’s going to be an interesting few weeks,” said Cunningham, who is an internal medicine specialist. “We’re starting out in a bad position right now, and I know a lot of us are worried about what that’s going to mean. Ideally, you’d try to stay local and keep it here and not travel somewhere outside of your current bubble.

“If you do need to travel, look at the cases where you’re going and use that as a gauge. If the case rate is really high, that might be another reason to reconsider actually making the trip.”

Reported this week, COVID-19 cases are going up in all 48 contiguous states in the country. While there are areas performing better than others, none of North Carolina’s immediate neighbors are moving in the right direction, either. As of Nov. 18, the only state reporting lower coronavirus cases week over week is Hawaii, and the only driveable state with a positivity rate under 3% is Vermont.

Should you pack your own food for the road? And should you fill up your gas tank in advance to avoid touching a pump on the way?

“Yes. Try to get drive-thru meals if you absolutely have to eat on the road or pack your own food. Both are safer options than eating at a restaurant,” Cunningham said

“If you’re stopping to fill gas, wipe down the handle or wear gloves that you then set aside and wash. I would generally try to avoid stopping at restaurants along the way or even gas pumps if you can avoid it.”

Earlier this fall, it was reported that adults with COVID-19 were twice as likely to have eaten at a restaurant in the previous two weeks. Businesses in Washington, California, Illinois and Minnesota, among other states, are closing their doors for a second time this year as cases skyrocket.

“Try to avoid public restrooms if you can, too. Touching surfaces and being around people in general, again, is not something you want to be doing on your way to see family if possible. The incubation period for this virus can be up to 14 days. So certainly, we’re under 14 days now, but it’s especially important to be a little more strict if you’re mixing with a different bubble.”

Would you still recommend quarantining before traveling?

Cunningham said it’s particularly imperative that you quarantine now if you’re going to be staying the night in the same home as family or friends outside of your immediate day-to-day network.

“Even though we’re under 14 days, it’s not too late to make safe choices. Even if you saw someone a week ago, it is still a good idea to be careful from now until when you see your family members.

“And make sure to keep the communication lines open and be clear about what the members of the other household have been doing, as well, and be careful that everyone is comfortable with that situation. As long as the place that you go to stay is also safe and you aren’t interacting with too many people. Ideally, you’d just want to do interaction outside and with masks, but if you have to (be inside) then I’d be more strict about quarantining and testing.”

Should a negative COVID test or positive antibody test make you feel safer?

“You shouldn’t be completely reassured with a negative test, but it’s still a good safety measure. A negative test is that moment in time. If the exposure was in the day or two before the test, that test might not have been positive, and there is a chance of exposure between the test and when you actually see your family members. I would take precautions with an antibody test, too. We don’t know how long the antibody test lasts, what level of immunity they have and for how long, or whether or not they could still spread the virus to someone else.”

Need a COVID-19 test before Thanksgiving? Check out our posting of the nearest COVID-19 testing sites in Charlotte.

Cunningham closed by reminding us of the big picture: With coronavirus case counts going up, sticking to your current household is the safest thing you can do, period. If not, then make sure to connect with others outside, distanced, with masks and with all the precautions recommended by the CDC.

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