The Week - USA (2021-02-05)

28 LEISURE Coping

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For many Americans tired of being stuck at

home, whether to book a spring or summer

getaway “may be one of the most difficult

decisions of 2021,” said Christopher Elliott

in The Washington Post. With Covid-19

vaccinations underway, optimism is spread-

ing among the public that recreational

travel will again be safe at some point this

year. Travel agencies report fielding a sud-

den deluge of inquiries. But with the death

toll exceeding 400,000 and variants of the

disease spreading, many savvy travelers

are managing the risks by planning only

trips that can be made by car, sticking to outdoor activities, and

avoiding destinations that may attract large crowds. “And they

most definitely will have a Plan B.” There’s no shortage out

there of potential game changers, after all. “International travel

bans, public health warnings, and local quarantines and restric-

tions all add up.” For the same reason, “now perhaps more

than ever, experts are recommending travel insurance.”

“Until the world has herd immunity, travel needs to be

approached cautiously,” said Johanna Read in National

Geographic. “No one is safe until everyone is safe,” and the

more transmissible new strains of the coronavirus could mean

herd immunity “might only come when 90 percent of citizens

have antibodies.” Even if the inoculation rate ramps up, it will

take until the end of 2021 to vaccinate 75 percent of U.S. adults,

according to a CNN analysis. Meanwhile,

it’s unlikely that vaccination will reach

even that share of the population in most

developing countries. Compliance is also

a hurdle: In recent polls, only about 3 in

5 Americans say they’re likely to get vac-

cinated when the shot is made available to

them. Another unknown is whether a vac-

cinated person can spread Covid. “That’s

the key reason why, a month after getting

your first shot, you can’t just shop in a

crowded Moroccan souk like it’s 2019.”

For those who simply can’t wait to book a trip, “checking can-

cellation terms is crucial,” said Scott McCartney in The Wall

Street Journal. So is staying on top of the shifting health require-

ments for every stage of your trip. Many countries and even

some U.S. states require recent negative Covid tests from visitors

who wish to avoid quarantine, and as of Jan. 26, the CDC will

require a recent negative test from all travelers arriving from

abroad. Local rules often differ from state and national rules,

and “you might even see hotels and airlines require negative

test results or even vaccination.” When booking flights, expect

delays when you fly and avoid tightly scheduled connections.

When planning ground transport, try not to rely on a random

taxi or car-share driver. Also, keep the entire journey as simple

and focused as you can. “This is not the time to be planning

whirlwind, multi-city tours across a continent.”

Travel in 2021: What to know before booking a vacation

Why you should be double masking

Suddenly, wearing two face masks is just
“common sense,” said Adrianna Rodriguez
in USA Today. That’s how Dr. Anthony Fauci
described the growing practice in a TV appear-
ance this week. Double masks were prominent
at Joe Biden’s inauguration, and the nation’s
top infectious-disease expert confirmed that
layering masks can reduce Covid’s spread.
With fast-spreading variants of the virus now
here, other experts are recommending wear-
ing a tight-fitting cloth mask over a surgical
mask, said The Boston Globe. An N95 mask
remains the gold standard, but the layering of
a cloth and any medical-style mask inhibits the
virus from being breathed in or out, and also
reduces air leakages at the masks’ edges. Other
ways to “up your mask game” include using
KF94 masks from Korea or 3M’s 9205+ mask.

How to find time for exercise

Though “we all know the benefits of regular
exercise,” said Maria Godoy in NPR.org,
making the time is tough when working from
home. So start using calendar reminders on
your phone to help block out times for put-
ting exercise first. Also, “dress for success” by
wearing athletic clothes at your desk (perhaps
beneath a Zoom-appropriate layer) so you

can jump into a brief workout at any spare

moment. That’s all the time you really need,

because a few minutes every hour adds up.

And don’t let your kids’ presence be an excuse.

Instead, rope them in—for five minutes of

dancing or a walk around the block. (“Think

of it as recess!”) Finally, seek out “account-

ability buddies”—friends who will hold you

to your goals, either by working out with you

on Zoom or committing to logging the same

number of steps every day.

The benefits of a daily bath

People should bathe more often, said Rachel

Feltman in PopularScience.com. Surveys show

that adults who soak in a tub regularly are less

stressed, depressed, and prone to anger than

those who only take showers. What’s more,

bathing “does your whole body good,” ap-

parently by improving circulation and aiding

sleep. To enjoy optimum sleep benefits, bathe

60 to 120 minutes before bedtime in water

that’s “pleasantly warm but not uncomfort-

ably hot.” The warm water boosts blood cir-

culation to your hands and feet, which in turn

kick-starts the cooling of the body’s core that

naturally occurs during sleep. A bath puts your

body on the right trajectory, “cuing your brain

to chill out and let you snooze.”

Distancing season: Making the most of it

Maybe

it’s never

too late

to grow a

pandemic

beard after

all, said

Bianca

Giaever

in The

New York

Times. As the work-from-home

era stretches on, even men with

scraggly facial growth can find

encouragement at Jeff’s Beard

Board (BeardBoard.com), a 20-year-

old online forum noteworthy for

a fraternal spirit that’s rare on the

internet. “Grow on!” is a typical user

comment, and insults are forbidden,

even on threads such as “Patchy

Beard Success Stories.” The team

that reviews each post also supplies

positivity by reminding readers that

some follicles need 13 weeks to

sprout a hair and that men can often

grow a thicker beard at 45 than at

25. Moderator Geoff Coleman says
    the job is often about counseling
    men to embrace one simple idea:
    “Appreciate what you have.”

And if you’re bored...

Think simple, nearby, and outdoors.