Sombudha Adhikari: Traveling During the Pandemic Becomes Problematic

All across the country, there are various degrees of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some states are starting to flatten the curve, other states are becoming the latest hotspot. Sombudha Adhikari, a software engineer who loves to travel, discusses some of the problems that can arise when traveling during the pandemic.

Sombudha Adhikari explores the various options for travel. Airlines are operating and adding more flights on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Greyhound and other bus companies are reducing or suspending schedules across their networks. Traveling by train is also possible.

One of the safest ways to travel, Sombudha Adhikari suggests, is by car. It ensures that a person is not surrounded by the germs of others. Even though airlines and other travel companies are requiring facemasks, there is no way to know who has and has not been exposed to the coronavirus. As such, Sombudha Adhikari recommends traveling by car when possible.

Another aspect that becomes problematic when traveling is accommodations. Particularly when driving long distances or staying in a city person doesn’t know anyone, there is the need to stay at hotels or motels. While some brands are talking about their extra level of cleanliness, others are not. Sombudha Adhikari explained that the cleanliness and level of sanitation can be questionable. He also points out that not all states have their accommodations open. Many hotels and motels have either closed or have drastically reduced the services that are offered.

Many companies that require their employees to travel have made adjustments. They have grounded their employees until the pandemic starts to slow. Meanwhile, Sombudha Adhikari points out that there are always people who are interested in traveling as a way to explore and get away from their current surroundings. Sombudha Adhikari warns that this can be dangerous because there are closures all across the country. Theme parks, national parks, and various other forms of entertainment are closed or have had to adjust significantly to accommodate social distancing.

Sombudha Adhikari has worked heavily in the area of bioinformatics within his role as a software engineer. He has seen strain recognition, mutation studies, and even predictions on the second wave. As much as he enjoys traveling and exploring the United States, he is finding that it is safer to stay close to home.

Many people who are choosing to travel and cross state lines are forgetting the need to quarantine. Some states are requiring that people self-quarantine upon entering a particular state or after leaving a particular state. The states that are requiring such things are changing regularly as the pandemic numbers rise and fall.

Sombudha Adhikari recommends that people do considerable research prior to booking any kind of travel. This way, it is easier to learn about closures, quarantine requirements, and other aspects that can cause problems for a vacation.

Originally published at https://sombudhaadhikari.com on August 11, 2020.