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    Coronavirus FAQ: I took a trip and caught COVID. What should I do? When can I go home?

    As summer travel surges, so does COVID. Experts share advice on how to prepare ahead of time in case you are infected on a vacation or visit — and what to do if you get that dreaded positive test.
    by Marc Silver Jul 08, 2022 7 minutes
    Source: Malaka Gharib/NPR

    We regularly answer frequently asked questions about life during the coronavirus crisis. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions." See an archive of our FAQs here.

    I flew away on a trip ... and I caught COVID. Now what?

    So you've joined the millions of travelers who are taking off this summer, headed for vacations, weddings, family reunions, conferences. And you flew to your destination.

    You arrive, you're having a great time. Then you feel a little off. Your throat is scratchy. Maybe you start coughing. Or your head feels as if it is about to float off your body like a rogue balloon.

    Sigh. Time for a COVID test. The bad news: You're positive!

    What do you do now? Where do you stay? Can you score some Paxlovid if you're a good candidate for this or another anti-COVID drug? And the big question: When can you fly home? True confession: It happened to me. Here's what I learned from the experience and from interviews afterward with COVID experts.

    Prepare for COVID before the trip starts

    Actually, the first question is: Did you prepare for a possible COVID case before taking off?

    Any traveler who has yet to go on a summer trip needs to keep in mind that the pandemic is still going

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