# If you get sick on vacation (cold/flu/COVID) is it ok to fly home or should you hunker down in a hotel room till you are better? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 28, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901 "2024-07-28T16:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/21 "2024-07-29T06:05:14Z")
Take your pick: - a passenger wearing a mask who is mindful about washing their hands etc. - Or another passenger > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Substantially 100% of your fellow Americans will fly while contagiously sick. You (any you) doing or not doing the same is a drop in the bucket In my eyes this makes it a wash for the airline staff. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/22 "2024-07-29T09:29:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@puzzlegal](#): > > > > A well-fitted n95 mask, without a vent, works very well for that. > > Can you get one of those easily? I mean those cheap ones are easy to get, but those? I guess a solid drug store would have them. And on a long flight… It depends on the shape of your head, and what fits you. But yes, there’s an excellent 3M n95 mask available in all the places @BippityBoppityBoo suggests that fits most people. It fits me well. Also, personally, I’m still wearing a mask when i travel, so I’ll have a few in my suitcase. So for me, it just means not removing the mask to eat or drink on the plane. 90-120 minutes of flight time, plus time at the airport at each end, and perhaps in a cab is easy. I wore a less breathable mask for longer before i was vaccinated, when i had to take my mom to hospitals and stuff. > [@DrDeth](#): > > And if you explain this to the hotel, and hang up the sign, etc, I bet they will give you a break on the room. Huh? You think they will charge you less? Why on earth would they do that? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/23 "2024-07-29T09:38:52Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And stay 6 feet away from anyone else? On an airplane? And i just want to reiterate, the 6’ thing was never very helpful, except for reducing the number of people in a space. That was based on bad science, extrapolating from some work done with tuberculosis, rather than from the data about covid. There were papers published early in the pandemic, when careful contact teaching was a thing, showing that being “downstream” was what mattered, not being close. Masking is better than distancing, if you know how to wear a mask. (And it’s not rocket science.) > **[Coronavirus FAQ: Is the 6-foot rule debunked? Or does distance still protect...](https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/06/21/g-s1-5705/coronavirus-faw-if-youre-still-trying-to-stay-covid-safe-does-the-6-food-rule-matter)** > > At a congressional hearing, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the CDC recommendation to stay 6 feet from others to ward off infection was not based on data. Does that mean keeping a distance won't protect you? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/24 "2024-07-29T10:27:05Z")
It’s happened to me a number of times. I stick it out. I’m not usually so sick that I can’t do something. These have all be head colds though. The flu would be a different story, but I’d still hunker down. Can’t imagine flying with the flu. Blecchhh. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/25 "2024-07-29T11:00:03Z")
I see people here saying a flu is worse than a cold as regards whether they should travel. But how is a person to know? They feel like shit, that’s about as far as it goes. There are tests for COVID but, otherwise, is someone likely to know what they have when on vacation? (or anywhere) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/26 "2024-07-29T11:15:14Z")
During COVID we skipped vacationing in St Martin the first year, as the island was closed to tourists. . The second year things were marginally better and the island was opening back up, but travelers were required to purchase insurance specifically covering evacuation from the island with COVID. It was reasonably priced. We had to be tested prior to departure from the US, and the results submitted to the ministry of health. That went smoothly. Returning to the US was scary, though. You had to be tested during a narrow window prior to departure. Entering airport property required a negative test. If you tested positive you were not allowed to fly. They had quarantine hotels set up, where you received 3 meals a day and linen service, but you could not leave your room. Waiting for our test results was maddening. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/27 "2024-07-29T12:29:45Z")
I can speak from very recent experience. I just flew from Manchester U.K. to London U.K. to Chicago. Came down with a nasty upper respiratory infection a couple days before my flight home. I coughed and coughed and coughed the whole time and the flight to Chicago was delayed for 4 hours. I felt miserable and I’m sure the whole plane was giving me the evil eye for 8 hours. It wasn’t Covid, just a horrible URI. I really had no choice about flying, I guess I could have postponed by a day but I was still miserable for a week after I got home so it wouldn’t make much of a difference. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/28 "2024-07-29T12:35:59Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I see people here saying a flu is worse than a cold as regards whether they should travel. > > But how is a person to know? They feel like shit, that’s about as far as it goes. There are tests for COVID but, otherwise, is someone likely to know what they have when on vacation? (or anywhere) Flu usually includes a fever and achiness. Colds usually don’t. Flu actually has a distinctive flavor. (Yes, I’ve had flu too often. And when i got the live nasal vaccine, i recognized the flavor of misery.) There are affordable tests for flu, either at a clinic or now there are home ones. [https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/osom-flu-sars-cov-2-combo-home-test-kit-2-tests/ID=300448484-product](https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/osom-flu-sars-cov-2-combo-home-test-kit-2-tests/ID=300448484-product) If you fly with a respiratory bug, please wear a mask. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/29 "2024-07-29T15:05:52Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Flu actually has a distinctive flavor. That’s for sure. I’ve had it once for sure, maybe twice. The first time, both my wife and I got it. I couldn’t climb the stairs to our bedroom, so I slept downstairs. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/30 "2024-07-29T17:47:08Z")
We just flew home from Europe, and two of the people on our trip (one of which we flew home with) have tested positive since arriving home. If it had happened early on our trip we would have hunkered down in our AirBnB for the duration. As it was, there was a scare early on the trip as one of the attendees spent time before the trip with other folks, who tested positive and infected a few others. Our host wore a mask and tested for two days (no symptoms) and they came up negative, so we went back to normal. Due to the timing, we think our group managed to catch Covid on our own. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/31 "2024-07-29T20:08:30Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Huh? You think they will charge you less? Why on earth would they do that? We had to evacuate due to a fire, and i rented a local hotel room, and the guy gave us a special rate, as it was an emergency. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2024, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/32 "2024-07-30T12:29:28Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > i rented a local hotel room, and the guy gave us a special rate, as it was an emergency. Meanwhile, friends of ours went to a local hotel when they had furnace problems. They hoped for a special rate but instead were turned away because of a policy not to rent to locals. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/33 "2024-08-01T17:38:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > They hoped for a special rate but instead were turned away because of a policy not to rent to locals. Yeah, I ran across that once. Not sure why that’s a policy some places. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/34 "2024-08-01T18:43:44Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Not sure why that’s a policy some places. I’ve heard that it’s to avoid locals renting rooms to party. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901/35 "2024-08-01T19:12:29Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’ve heard that it’s to avoid locals renting rooms to party. I think you are right. We’ve had that problem with B&Bs. Meant for 4 people, and 12 show up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-sick-on-vacation-cold-flu-covid-is-it-ok-to-fly-home-or-should-you-hunker-down-in-a-hotel-room-till-you-are-better/1004901.md?page=1)