Experiences and Views of Domestic Summer Travelers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a National Survey.

Domestic travel creates a serious risk of spreading COVID-19, including novel strains of the virus. Motivating potential travelers to take precautions is critical, especially for those at higher risk for severe illness. To provide an evidence base for communication efforts, we examined the experiences and views of travelers during the summer of 2020 through a telephone survey of 1,968 US adults, conducted in English and Spanish, July 2 through July 16, 2020. The survey found that more than one-quarter (28%) of adults had traveled domestically in the prior 30 days, most commonly for "vacation" (43%), and less than half wore masks (46%) or practiced social distancing (47%) "all of the time." Although high-risk adults were significantly less likely to travel than non-high-risk adults (23% vs 31%; P < .001), they were no more likely to take precautions. Many travelers did not wear a mask or practice social distancing because they felt such actions were unnecessary (eg, they were outside or with friends and family). Although a substantial share of travelers (43% to 53%) trusted public health agencies "a great deal" for information about reducing risks while traveling, more travelers (73%) trusted their own healthcare providers. Findings suggest that outreach may be improved by partnering with providers to emphasize the benefits of layering precautions and provide targeted education to high-risk individuals. Messages that are empathetic to the need to reduce stress and convey how precautions can protect loved ones may be particularly resonant after more than a year of pandemic-related restrictions.

COVID-19 Mitigation Behaviors by Age Group - United States, April-June 2020.

CDC recommends a number of mitigation behaviors to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Those behaviors include 1) covering the nose and mouth with a mask to protect others from possible infection when in public settings and when around persons who live outside of one's household or around ill household members; 2) maintaining at least 6 feet (2 meters) of distance from persons who live outside one's household, and keeping oneself distant from persons who are ill; and 3) washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or, if soap and water are not available, using hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol (1). Age has been positively associated with mask use (2), although less is known about other recommended mitigation behaviors. Monitoring mitigation behaviors over the course of the pandemic can inform targeted communication and behavior modification strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Data Foundation COVID Impact Survey collected nationally representative data on reported mitigation behaviors during April-June 2020 among adults in the United States aged ≥18 years (3). Reported use of face masks increased from 78% in April, to 83% in May, and reached 89% in June; however, other reported mitigation behaviors (e.g., hand washing, social distancing, and avoiding public or crowded places) declined marginally or remained unchanged. At each time point, the prevalence of reported mitigation behaviors was lowest among younger adults (aged 18-29 years) and highest among older adults (aged ≥60 years). Lower engagement in mitigation behaviors among younger adults might be one reason for the increased incidence of confirmed COVID-19 cases in this group, which have been shown to precede increases among those >60 years (4). These findings underscore the need to prioritize clear, targeted messaging and behavior modification interventions, especially for young adults, to encourage uptake and support maintenance of recommended mitigation behaviors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.