The 2021 holiday season will be the first time millions of Americans will be traveling in nearly two years.
With a large number of festivities canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many will be excited to return home to see their families for Thanksgiving this year.
The pandemic is not quite over yet, though, with an average of 1,000 Americans still dying from the virus every day and daily cases trending upwards nationwide.
Experts believe that people can safely travel for Thanksgiving, but they should understand they are taking a risk and should take simple actions to protect themselves.
Advice includes wearing a well-fitted mask while traveling and wiping down seats before sitting on planes and trains.
Millions of Americans will be travelling for the first time in nearly two years this holiday season, and experts say it can be done safely with a few precautions. One expert says that people should identify their 'individual risk' before heading out for the holidays. Pictured: Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport in California
Experts recommend that travelers bring a well-fitting N95 mask with them while traveling, and to wipe down their seat before sitting on a plane or train. Pictured: People ride the subway in New York City, New York
Dr Michael Blaivas, the chief medical officer at Anavasi Diagnostics, a Seattle, Washington based biotechnology company, told DailyMail.com that people traveling or gathering for the holidays would have to asses their 'individual risk' and decide what they want to do.
'It's an individualized question,' Blaivas said.
'[It] depends on who you are, where you're going, and what you return to.'
Factors to consider are personal health, Covid situation in a person's area, Covid situation in the area a person is traveling to, and the situations in places where other people they will interact with are coming from.
For example, a healthy 20-year old traveling from one area of low Covid transmission to another would not have much to worry about.
But, an elderly person who is immunocompromised traveling to an area of high transmission may be at severe risk of hospitalization or death from the virus if they travel.
Blaivas said that those who are hosting gatherings should talk to the people who plan to attend, and gather what their level of risk is.
'Its probably good to have an open discussion beforehand about people's individual risk,' he said.
'Maybe get everyone tested if that makes them comfortable,
