News You Can Use
To Travel or Not to Travel. That Is the Question.
- Should we take home test kits? People will have to make informed decisions. For those planning to travel, bring some on the trip to use if anyone comes down with the sniffles or a cough, or to take just before getting to Grandma’s.
- Can we fly? Currently there are no vaccine, testing or quarantine requirements to travel within the United States, whether you fly, drive or go by rail. But masks are still required by the TSA for passengers age 2 and up on planes, trains and buses. Different states, and even cities within states, may have their own mask, testing or vaccine requirements for activities such as indoor dining.
- What about going abroad? Current C.D.C. guidance does not recommend international travel if you are not vaccinated. If you choose to travel overseas, it can be complicated: rules for these and other countries can change at any time, so it’s best to keep checking official government websites as your travel date approaches.
- Can we go to theme parks? Theme parks are required to follow state rules.
- How about cruises? Rules vary by cruise line. There may be additional requirements for cruises docking at other countries. It’s best to check with each cruise line for a specific sailing’s current rules and protocols. The C.D.C. still recommends that people who are unvaccinated or at risk of severe illness regardless of vaccination status avoid traveling on cruise ships worldwide, including river cruises.
Every family needs to make its own decision to travel, based on the importance of their trip, how protected family members are and how much they trust fellow travelers to abide by the masking and social distancing rules that keep people safer. They also need to be aware of the levels of cases at their destination and the level of exposure their potential activities present.
Meet Our CHWs
“It’s personal . . . ” says Karen Millner, of why she became a Community Health Worker.
Millner, who is originally from the area, said she wants to make a difference in her community. She was initially interested in the position because she wanted to make inroads into the faith-based community, “because they tend to be more hesitant to getting the shot. I am in that community and come from a long line of pastors (her uncle is the Rev. Tyler Millner of Morning Star Holy Church), so I felt I could reach out and say, ‘I’m Karen, you know me,’ and already have a foot in the door.”
She also has family members who are immunocompromised and at higher risk from contracting COVID. “I don’t want them bumping into anybody with COVID, so it’s personal when it comes to that.”
Karen works through the United Way of Henry County and Martinsville and graduated from University of North Carolina Greensboro with a degree in public health. She brings more than 15 years experience in sales, giving her a good set of skills that are helpful as she educates people on the advantages and benefits of getting the shot. “My passion,” she said, “is to make sure the entire community where we live, work, play, and worship, gets vaccinated.”
Karen is part of a West Piedmont Health District-wide network of new CHWs charged with improving vaccination rates among people of all ages. She can be reached: karen@unitedwayofhcm.org