As summer approaches, the temptation to hit the road is greater than ever, especially after a year of staying indoors. Travel seems like the perfect getaway from the absolute migraine that is COVID-19 era school and work. But given the current circumstances, travel is neither safe nor the only way to blow off steam. 

By every measure, this virus isn’t over. According to a WSBT article published on April 13th, 2021, spring break travel has triggered a spike in hospitalizations in several states. Even worse, highly contagious COVID-19 variants are on the rise across the world, and according to a Forbes article from 2021, with each mutation, they become more resistant against vaccines that can end the crisis. The B.1.1.7 variant, first discovered months ago in the United Kingdom, accounts for tens of thousands of new cases in the United States. This new variant is especially dangerous as it is even more contagious and deadly than previous variants according to a BBC article from May 23, 2021. A study from the University of Exeter, published in 2021, found that the strain had a 64 percent higher death rate than other circulating strains and is already dominant in countries such as Germany, Italy, and France. These deadly variants were brought to the United States from abroad. For these reasons, the CDC strongly advises against non-essential travel. If we don’t want to continue to be in hiding for the next two years, we should refrain from globe-hopping. It isn’t worth risking the lives of you and your loved ones to fly to Orlando to meet Mickey Mouse, nor is it worth getting hospitalized to go get a tan on the beach.

The disease itself won’t be the end of your problems. If you venture out of the United States, you will have to test negative at your destination before flying home. In the case that you test positive, you and your family will probably have to quarantine there for two weeks or more. Quarantine accommodations may not be free or convenient. If the illness is serious, you’ll be hospitalized, and the medical bills probably won’t be covered by health insurance. Additionally, testing negative for COVID-19 doesn’t guarantee that you don’t have the virus. Some tests, according to an article posted on the Harvard Health Blog from 2020, have a false negative rate of more than 20 percent even days after symptoms have begun. This uncertainty is part of the reason COVID-19 variants have managed to spread across the world. What is meant to be a short trip to Bora Bora can quickly turn into quite the nightmare.

Even if these are all risks you are willing to take, you are responsible not only for your family’s health and safety but also for those of others. If you get sick overseas, you may end up using hospital resources originally meant for the residents of that country, contributing to healthcare congestion. You could also be spreading deadlier COVID-19 variants to places in the world which have previously been unaffected by them. 

Instead of disrupting the communities abroad, we should be supporting the community here at home. Businesses have been suffering around the world, and Princeton, for all its wealth, isn’t exempt, with local restaurants, stores, and attractions seeing a heavy decrease in traffic since March of last year.

Yet these places are also what make Princeton such a vibrant town, a mixing pot brimming with cuisines of every kind and a host to some of the best ice cream places around. Businesses have done all they can to adapt to these bizarre circumstances, continuing to offer us their services despite a global pandemic. We should return the favor by staying in town and keeping their doors open. For one of these invaluable places to close would be unaffordable for the community. Rather than pouring savings into a plane ticket, we should give the local economy a booster by enjoying the top tier products offered right here. Be sure to follow guidelines by wearing a mask and social distancing. Adhere to the rules of the businesses you decide to support.

A staycation can be just as rewarding as a trip overseas, especially if you live near Princeton. A beautiful campus, countless trails to travel, and Hoagie Haven: What more can you ask for?