People need to take COVID-19 very seriously.”, RELATED: What Scares Me Most About the Coronavirus Pandemic Is What Happens When It’s Over. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources. We do have favorite restaurants, but if they are closed, so be it. Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate. The AHLA is pushing for legislation in Congress to further aid in the ailing industry. We understand that this brings uncertainty, and we’d like you to have the most up-to-date information. Even despite their advance planning, the Naypauers couldn't completely escape crowds. If you have to travel during this summer of COVID, a road trip staying in hotels is a relatively safe option, provided you keep some precautions in mind. But, if you’re planning to visit a more isolated area where you can do a better job of social distancing, there’s less of a risk. That said, if it makes you feel more comfortable, you can also clean your rental even more once you get there, says Dr. Adalja. Ideally, you’d limit the number of people in the home to 10 and allow just close family members—like those in your immediate household—says Dr. Watkins. As you think about making travel plans, consider these questions: Is COVID-19 … “Life’s realities, however, do and will include venturing away from the relative safety of one’s home. Know before you go. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. Here’s a quick breakdown of the study, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine: As far as a the safety of a vacation rental goes, there are a lot of variables that come into play and it’s “unclear” how safe vacation rentals are right now, says Jill Weatherhead, MD, an assistant professor of tropical medicine and infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine. She lists off local transmission of COVID-19 and how many people are visiting that area as things to consider. “As we have learned during this COVID-19 pandemic, there is really no absolutely safe haven,” said Daniel Berliner, a physician at the virtual health platform PlushCare. "We were very impressed with the social distancing and cleanliness measures they had in place," Alexander told USA TODAY. “If no one has been in the vacation rental for several days, the property is unlikely to contain infectious virus particles based on what we know about how the virus survives,” says Donald Schaffner, PhD, a microbial risk assessment and cross contamination expert at Rutgers University. Rental occupancy fared better, dipping 45.1% for studio and one-bedroom rentals, and 46.2% for two- or more bedroom rentals. Still, a lot of it comes down to your comfort level. Both hotels and short-term rentals have announced extensive cleaning measures and social distancing procedures to reassure cautious travelers that it's safe to stay there during COVID-19. According to STR data, the only area to hit more than a 60% occupancy level the week ending Aug. 15 was Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia, at 65.3%. Vrbo’s Covid-19 emergency policy is valid for reservations occurring through June 30, but extension beyond that date had not been confirmed at the time this article was published. Experts say hotels or Airbnbs can be a safe place to stay if they’re following CDC guidelines for COVID-19. Here's What to Do, 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold, How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s, 12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder, Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means, The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts, 10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required, These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body, 20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Is it Safe to Go to the Dentist During COVID-19? The group of five crammed into a Toyota Camry and wound through narrow uphill roads to reach their Airbnb in Sugarloaf, California, outside Big Bear. “It’s been pretty rough,” Zachary said. "The hotel had rules of a max of four people and we were a family of four, so in theory we should have never shared an elevator with anyone but were rarely alone," Naypauer said. In light of the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19), Vrbo is monitoring the situation closely with the safety of you and travelers in mind. They stayed at boutique hotel Seven Hills Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts, in an effort to support small businesses, and also because they weren't sure whether they'd get refunds on anything if they prepaid. Airbnb hosts can also use a “booking buffer” to block out a space of time after a rental is used to allow time for airborne particles to settle. RELATED: What Are Immunity Passports and Why Do Experts Think They're Such a Bad Idea? RELATED: Quarantine Fatigue Is Real—Here's How to Keep Up Social Distancing Anyway. “We were going to go out West but risked going through too many states,” said Naypauer, a 49-year-old accounting manager said. “We were going to go to Florida and South Carolina, but as those states became hot spots, decided not to. How long it’s been since someone was in the vacation home matters, too. And how many canisters of disinfectant wipes should we bring? What Vrbo is doing as part of its COVID-19 Emergency Policy, excerpted from the Vrbo Help Center: A full refund of our fees: We are refunding 100% of the money we make through traveler service fees when you must cancel a trip due to COVID-19, … COVID-19 and vitamin D; Safe cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic; Cancer treatment during COVID-19: How to move ahead safely; Convalescent plasma therapy; Coronavirus safety tips for going out; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Coronavirus: What is it and how can I protect myself? But, she points out, you should still practice social distancing once you get there. "Especially under the current circumstances, I'd expect a hotel to be cleaner," said Amorim, a market researcher from Detroit. “People need to stay home. “Covid is so widespread across so much of the U.S. now, the safest place to be is at home with your household members,” Dr. Baseman said, “whether that home be in … "First, as quarantine restrictions, social distancing and economic troubles took hold, many business meetings, conferences and other events were canceled," wrote authors Will Sanford, a research analyst at STR; and Dillon DuBois, a product marketing manager at  AirDNA. Updated November 2020. Hotels have borne a large share of the burden from COVID-19-related cancellations, but home rental companies like Airbnb and Vrbo are continuing to … Vrbo has changed its stance on people making reservations in the Washington, DC area during the week of the inauguration. Reporter … Experts weigh in on whether it's safe to get a massage during the COVID-19 pandemic, and measure the risks associated with getting a massage right now. Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you. Renting a vacation home during the pandemic? Very few dentists got sick. Sacks expects a cautious recovery in the first half of next year, with stronger growth in travel in the second half. More homes are in rural and/or remote vacation markets, a boon for travelers seeking to leave urban areas amid spiking COVID-19 cases. The pandemic isn't stopping everyone, though: A publicist for the booking site Vrbo recently told Health via email that "beginning in mid-April Vrbo started seeing encouraging improvement in US travel demand for vacation rentals, especially for longer trips during the end of summer." Still, it’s understandable that you might have some questions: Doesn’t renting a house for an extended stay someplace else still qualify as “staying home”? Hotel occupancy fell 77.3% at the end of March compared with the previous year. Here are things to consider before you book. There are … Hotels have enacted far-ranging safety and cleaning protocols in the wake of the coronavirus. Omer Rabin, property management software company Guesty's managing director of the Americas, told USA TODAY earlier this year about the increasing length of stay trend. Not every travel company is offering exceptions for coronavirus cancellations. Remember, the virus spreads mainly via respiratory droplets that are released from an infected person through coughing, sneezing, talking or singing – which then get into the mouth, nose or eyes of people who are nearby. The coronavirus will weigh heavily on travel through at least the first quarter of 2021, said Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics. And traditional hotels have paid the price, literally. Dentists were thought to be at high risk for Covid-19, because their practice puts them close to patients. Some are also opting to stay in private homes where they can prepare their own food and won't come into contact with strangers from outside their quarantine bubble. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Return to School During COVID-19 Gyms May Start Reopening Soon—But Will it Be Safe to Go Back? All rights reserved. They were looking for safety and seclusion, but also weren't willing to drive more than two or three hours away. Is it safe to go to the dentist? Short-term rentals initially saw a dip in bookings, plummeting 47% from more than 2.3 million in January to 1.2 million by April. We applaud you for everything you’ve done for guests during the COVID-19 pandemic. (However, they do include the caveat that experts are still learning more about the virus.). In a recent travel update, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes it clear: Staying home is the best way to protect yourself against the coronavirus. Vrbo is all about helping families spend quality time together, safely. "We did definitely observe large groups of people hanging out very close together," Naypauer said. More Information. An error has occurred and your entry was not submitted. David Ige recently extended the ban on out-of-state tourists through September and reinstated the interisland quarantine rule. Eight steps to protect yourself, your staff and your customers during coronavirus. There are ways to reduce risk, but health experts advise avoiding it when possible. The news is not all bad for hotels: Occupancy topped 50% for the first time since March, and it has ticked up for 17 of the past 18 weeks, though growth in demand for rooms has slowed. Vacation rentals on Airbnb are listed as "Enhanced Clean" if hosts have committed to a more rigorous cleaning and sanitation routine. “Some community hospitals don’t have many ICU beds and can’t handle a sudden influx of patients.”. Vacationer Mike Naypauer and his family mostly ordered food through DoorDash and ate in their room at the Hilton Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this summer, but also did some outdoor dining. "The most likely way you are going to get COVID-19 is person-to-person transmission," she says. U.S. hotel demand likely won’t see a full recovery until 2023, according to a forecast from STR and consultant Tourism Economics. While there does not appear to be any formal sort of certificate program hosts can complete like Airbnb’s new initiative, Vrbo hosts can add information like what disinfectants are being used at the property, booking buffer policies, and contactless-check-in options to their property descriptions. RELATED: Is it Safe to Rent an Airbnb, Vrbo, or Vacation Home Right Now? That’s down from a healthy 66% in 2019. The vacation rental property Vrbo has not offered any Covid-19-related exceptions to its cancellation policy. “Rules about meeting up with other families should follow recommended practices for the location where the rental home is located,” he says. Some of the lowest occupancy levels occurred in Orlando, Florida (29.9%), and Oahu Island, Hawaii (22.8%), where Gov. It depends on the precautions you take and how comfortable you feel, but going on vacation during a pandemic isn't risk-free. COVID-19, however, has forced people to rethink or even cancel their travel plans, wondering about the safety of vacationing right now—especially when it comes to renting an Airbnb or vacation home. Worried about COVID-19 while planning your vacation? National Trading Standards is warning people to remain vigilant following a rise in coronavirus-related scams that seek to benefit from the public’s concern and uncertainty over COVID-19. "So the best thing to do is limit in-person interaction, including with people in your extended family. Find … Keep in mind that, if you’re traveling far to get to your destination, you may need to make pit-stops to use the bathroom and get gas—and those are situations that can open you up to the risk of being exposed to COVID-19, Dr. Adalja says. CDC’s new director talks about distribution challenges. In order to support Taos’ small businesses and our local economy, it is imperative that we all do our part to follow COVID-Safe Practices. Despite reassurance that COVID-19 isn’t easily spread through food, one food safety expert says you may want to avoid the homemade holiday treats sent … Vacation rental services have all seen an uptick in domestic bookings amid the coronavirus pandemic. Here's what a doctor, the CDC, and representatives from Airbnb say about whether it's safe to book a vacation rental during COVID-19. (iStock/Washington Post illustration) By Natalie B. Compton. Getty Images, Is it Safe to Rent an Airbnb, Vrbo, or Vacation Home Right Now? Unscrupulous criminals are exploiting fears about COVID-19 to prey on members of the public, particularly older and vulnerable people who are isolated from family and friends. ... that COVID-19 cases ... safe … The industry is also facing a historic wave of foreclosures, according to a report from trade group American Hotel & Lodging Association, which also noted that the number of delinquent hotel loans is higher now than even during the Great Recession of 2007-2009. Also, it’s still important to follow best practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19 when you’re on vacation, like practicing social distancing, washing your hands regularly, wearing face masks in public, and doing your best to avoid large gatherings of people. Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta said during the company's second-quarter earnings call this month that he expected Hilton hotels to be in the 45% to 50% occupancy range, and that summer leisure travel will bleed into fall given that kids won't be going back to school, or will be doing so virtually. The elevators made the family feel particularly uneasy. Talk about any concerns with your pediatrician and child care facility or provider. When we were coming on and noticed crowds, we actually took the stairs up 17 flights.". “Everyone is different.”, RELATED: Is it Safe to Go to the Dentist During COVID-19? What Are Immunity Passports and Why Do Experts Think They're Such a Bad Idea. Keep these safety tips in mind. “It’s all going to be a personal risk preference,” says Dr. Adalja. Regardless of which is safer, the data is clear: Short-term rentals are more popular right now. Nope. Ultimately, most experts say going on vacation right now isn’t a risk-free move—that means you have to decide if  going on vacation is a risk you (and your family) are willing to take. “Make sure you’re keeping at least a … The company announced on January 19th, the day before the event, that it will block any new reservations through Friday, January 22nd. When it comes to the best child care options during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is not one right answer for every family. Vrbo has released updated cleaning guidelines for hosts. Not only do you risk exposing other people, if you get sick with COVID-19 on vacation, you could be one of many others taxing the local health system. 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