Covid-19 precautions to take when planning for summer vacation

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Memorial Day will be here before we know it, which means the summer tourism season is getting closer! However, health experts say there’s still some things to keep in mind when it comes to COVID safety this summer.

Chatham County is an area of low COVID risk according to the CDC’s metrics. But Dr. Chris Rustin with the Coastal Health District says there are still some things to keep in mind before you pack up for your summer vacation his year.

If you’re planning for a big trip this summer, health officials say you should check the health data on where you’re going.

“Go to the CDC website and do a little bit of research before traveling. As you go into the tourist season, people tend to want to travel all over the country. You can go to the CDC website and look at the data. You can actually see where the COVID is surging, where there’s high case rates,” said Dr. Rustin.

Luckily, the Chatham County area is still listed as low risk.

“We have low case rates, we have low hospitalization, and low bed usage within the hospitals for COVID which is great news for our area.”

But that doesn’t mean the whole country is in the clear.

“What we’re seeing around the country is increases in COVID, in areas especially in the northeast.”

Dr. Rustin says one of the best things you can do to protect yourself this summer is to make sure your COVID vaccination is up to date, and get a booster if you qualify.

“That ensures they are fully vaccinated, that ensures that they are up to date on all the recommendations, and it really provides the best protections against the COVID strains that are circulating across the country.”

Protections that Dr. Rustin says are still important for this summer.

Something else that could be helpful to you this travel season - The Coastal Health District is providing at-home tests free of charge.

No pre-registration is required. Just stop by the Chatham County Health Department to get yours if you need it.

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