I left Charlotte — left the country, actually — during COVID-19. Here’s how that went
Editor’s note: In Charlotte and across the country, our COVID-19 year has been different for everyone. We are telling you these quarantine stories, one person at a time. After you read DeAnna’s story, follow along with our story about Donnie Simmons, a chef who helped people recovering from addiction, who had to walk away from his job to take care of his grandmother in hospice..
As someone who travels for a living, this pandemic has forced me to park it for several months. The last time that I stepped foot inside of an airport was late January. I had high hopes for my travel schedule that had been planned out for the year. But COVID-19 swept throughout the world, and there was nothing we could do.
After spending the last few months working remotely from the safety of my apartment, I decided to travel to Mexico to work for a few days in July. It is one of the few countries open to American travelers at the moment.
I would like to preface this by saying I went to get tested before taking my trip. I used the drive-thru testing option offered by CVS Minute Clinic. I scheduled an appointment online about a week or so out from my departure date.
On the day of my appointment, I arrived at the drive-thru at the scheduled time. The physician on duty walked me through the entire process as I remained in my car. She sent the testing kit via the sliding window. I took the included swab and inserted it into each nostril until I felt resistance. She instructed me to turn the swab a minimum of five full rotations before doing the same in the second nostril.
I placed the used swab into a pre-labeled vile and sealed it back up into another pre-labeled bag. I was told to use the sanitizing wipe to cleanse and then open the drop-box for all kits, and place my kit in there. I was given a paper with instructions on how to check my results in 4-7 days.
I received my negative result a few days before my flight. The test was not required to travel to Mexico, but I felt it was my duty to find out before attempting to travel anywhere.
Coronavirus safety measures
About three weeks before my trip, I told my mother about my plans. I wanted to give her enough time to process the news, knowing that she tends to worry about me a lot when I travel. Nearly every other day leading up she would ask, “Are you still taking your trip?” To which I would always reply, “yes.”
I explained to her that I had been following Mexico’s coronavirus safety measures pretty closely and staying up-to-date on any travel restrictions. I knew that hotels in Quintana Roo (Cancun, Tulum, Riviera Maya, and Playa del Carmen) were only allowed to book up to 30% capacity, only after receiving a safety certification from the local government.
On the day of my trip, I arrived at Charlotte Douglas International Airport about an hour before. I’m a risky airport person and cut it very close at times, but I hate waiting in any airport.
As I entered the doors, I made sure I put my mask on. I looked around and noticed that every other traveler did the same. Surprisingly, the airport was somewhat busy. I imagined that I would walk into a ghost town, but that was not the case. It was as if the pandemic had magically disappeared, except for the sight of everyone in a mask.
At the American Airlines counter where I was checking my bag, an agent informed me that I needed to complete an online medical questionnaire to board my flight. The questionnaire asked basic questions about exposure to anyone with COVID-19 or feeling symptoms in the last 14 days. Once I completed the form, a QR code was generated that the agent used to issue my boarding pass.
Once I made it through TSA pre-check, I headed to my gate. The airline had sent constant alerts about expecting a full flight and noting that I had the option to change my flight if I didn’t feel comfortable. The flight options that were sent included layovers in other high-risk states, and I decided to keep my direct flight to Cancun instead.
Flying during COVID-19
It was a bit nerve-racking knowing that so many of us were packed in this closed-in space for the next two and a half hours. I traveled with my own Clorox wipes and thoroughly wiped down the seats, arm rests, tray table and seat back pocket. I also kept my hand sanitizer nearby, and flight attendants distributed bags with a bottle of water and hand sanitizer.
As passengers made their way to their assigned seats, flight attendants made announcements that masks or face coverings were mandated for the duration of all American Airlines flights. Thankfully, everyone on my flight complied without complaint.
To prevent people from removing masks or even having to get up to use the bathroom, American Airlines has temporarily suspended in-flight beverage service and snacks for its economy cabins.
Other than my mind racing for most of the flight, things were very smooth. We arrived at Cancun International Airport on time, and off to customs we went— socially distant of course.
Stay tuned to see what it was like going through an international airport since the pandemic hit. I was very surprised by what I saw.
If you are sick, feeling symptoms, or simply don’t know if you are sick, please do not travel. The CDC recommends implementing the following measures if you decide to travel: clean and wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds with warm soap and water, cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze, avoid touching your face, wear a cloth face covering while in public and try to avoid close contact with people.
Coming tomorrow: Traveling from Charlotte during COVID-19: Face masks at airport, but not at resort.
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 8:54 AM.
