Smarter Travel’s December 2020 newsletter investigated whether we can catch COVID-19 in a hotel room. The answer is affirmative, because there could be virus particles lingering in the air, and on surfaces we touch. These could be older shadows from a previous guest. However, an infected housekeeping person could also have just left the room.
How Safe Are Hotel Rooms Really with COVID-19 Around?
Smarter Travel asked indoor environmental microbiology expert Jessica Green for advice. Her response was yes, we could catch COVID-19 in a hotel room. That’s because an infected person who was in the room recently could have left viruses lingering in the air. Or these infections could remain alive on touchable surfaces, although COVID-19 spreads mainly via infected particles in the air.
Jessica Green suggests checking whether the hotel is following CDC guidelines, and taking precautions such as requesting an extra cleaning. She also recommends insisting on a room that has been empty for twenty-four hours before we arrive. And scattering any virus that may be present by opening windows wide when we arrive, if possible.
Could We Introduce, or Catch COVID-19 in the Hotel Room?
Our COVID-19 risk profile should be back to normal if we take the above precautions. However, we would still be at least as vulnerable as we are at home. We should sanitize regularly, ask the housekeeper to skip visits, and wear a face mask if we leave the room even for a moment.
We are less likely to catch COVID-19 in a hotel room if we follow Jessica Green’s advice. However, we could still bring infection into the room, if we drop our guard while relaxing away from home.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control warns our traveling method, the number of stops, and any existing infection all influence risks for fellow travelers. Therefore, it’s our social duty to act responsibly, when traveling at all times.
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