This Viral Travel Advice Is Really Not A Great Idea, Experts Say

The Viral Travel Advice

The internet is a great source of information, but not all advice you read online is trustworthy. Recently, a viral travel advice has been circulating on social media, advising people to skip testing before taking a trip as a way to save money and time. The advice suggests that testing is unnecessary because COVID-19 is just like the flu and that the PCR test is unreliable and prone to giving false positives.

Why It’s Not a Great Idea

Experts are warning people not to follow this viral travel advice as it poses a serious risk to public health. COVID-19 is not like the flu, and skipping testing before traveling can put others at risk of getting infected. PCR tests are not perfect, but they are the most reliable tests that we currently have, and they are crucial in detecting the virus and isolating positive cases. False positives are rare, and if they do happen, they can be confirmed through secondary tests.

Traveling During COVID-19

If you’re planning to travel during COVID-19, you should follow the latest travel advice from reputable sources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting fully vaccinated before traveling and that you should still wear a mask and practice social distancing in public places. The Mayo Clinic also provides comprehensive travel advice for safely flying, driving, and staying at hotels.

Countries to Avoid

It’s also important to be aware of the countries that the U.S. government warns people not to travel to right now. Places with high crime rates, terrorism, or civil unrest might receive a level 4 advisory, which means “do not travel”. The U.S. State Department updates its travel advisories regularly, and you can check them out on their website.