As coronavirus restrictions have changed, some SCHS students have had the opportunity to experience what it is like to travel during a global pandemic. 

During summer vacation, freshman April Dorado went to Mexico City to visit her family. According to Dorado, when going on an airplane, only people from the same household can sit by each other.

“It’s really different. Most of the passengers are spread out, and we have to wear masks all the time and disinfect everything,” Dorado said.

When checking in at the airport, the process is still the same, according to sophomore Vanessa Calvillo. The only difference is the mask requirement.

“When checking in to airports, it’s not that different besides wearing masks, so the whole checking in bags and all, that’s still the same,” Calvillo said. “But when we are waiting for our flight in the waiting area, people are supposed to sit two seats apart so we’re not waiting super close to each other.”

Airlines have also taken numerous measures to ensure that COVID does not spread during their flight. According to Calvillo, airlines like United have taken measures to keep everyone safe.

“When we flew with United, we had to leave the middle seat open so we were somewhat social distancing from others,” Calvillo said. “Masks had to be on at all times unless we were eating, but even then, we would put food in our mouth then put our mask back on.”

During the pandemic, Calvillo has continued to play with her softball team and has been out of state to attend showcases for college recruiting. She said that numerous precautions were taken to ensure everyone’s safety.

“During games, masks had to be on in the dugout because we were super close to each other, but running around, we didn’t have to wear a mask cause we were farther apart,” Calvillo said. “People in the stands had to wear a mask, and we were told to social distance as much as possible.”

During a trip to Palm Springs, junior Mic Jodie Borgonia and her family made sure that they all wore masks and stayed away from large crowds as much as possible.

“We tended to avoid places where there would be crowds, like going downtown or going to an outlet or indoor shopping mall,” Borgonia said. “We mostly stuck with outdoor activities where we could stay away from others.”

Borgonia said that a tramway car would normally carry up to 80 people, but due to the coronavirus, it has been limited to 8-10 people in one car to prevent the spread. Bergonia and her family also avoided taking planes, driving instead.

Since the virus spreads easily, safety precautions have been implemented to help ensure people’s safety, and Borgonia encourages people to follow them if they travel.

“I would advise people to wear a mask and social distance at all times while acknowledging the county that they’re visiting’s guidelines,” Borgonia said.