Students from hotspot states worry about spreading virus on trip home

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Savannah Stocker doesn’t plan to leave her house once she goes home for winter break. 

Stocker, a sophomore from Florida studying inclusive elementary and special education, is one of many Syracuse University students who will return home to a coronavirus hotspot spot over winter break. For her, going home means greater risks of contracting the virus and intense public health restrictions. 

“I don’t plan on leaving my house much,” Stocker said. 

While Stocker has adapted to social distancing at SU, she has spent more time with friends this semester than she did when she was at home because of lower infection rates in Onondaga County. The county, up until recently, had maintained low case levels, though cases are now skyrocketing as part of a nationwide surge.

In the past week, the United States has recorded over 100,000 cases for three days straight, the highest number it has confirmed in a single day since the pandemic began. 

Students who are returning to coronavirus hotspot states for winter break told The Daily Orange that they are nervous about the trip home but plan to follow public health guidelines to avoid infecting themselves or bringing the virus home to their families. 

Both Stocker and Daphne Budin, a sophomore from the suburbs of Chicago who is studying human development and family science, are nervous to travel home by plane. While they expect airlines to enforce social distancing practices, increasing infection rates across the country make traveling seem much more daunting. 

“Getting there is definitely very stressful,” Budin said. “When I physically get there, I’m not worried.”

Capeley Zimet, a sophomore from California who is studying information management and technology, is planning on driving to Newark, New Jersey, so she can take a direct flight home and avoid exposure to the virus at multiple airports. 

Like Stocker, many students said they plan to strictly adhere to public health guidelines once they return home, hoping to lower their chances of contracting the virus over break.  

Budin said she is not too nervous about the increasing infection rates in her hometown because her family follows social distancing practices. Over the summer, she was not allowed to see anyone outside her household until June, when she saw friends from 6 feet apart and with masks on. 

“My parents will be there, and my grandma comes over to my house,” Budin said. “I don’t want them to get (COVID-19). It’s definitely a little nerve-wracking, but my family is very strict.”

While Harry Owens, a freshman studying broadcast and digital journalism and sports management, lives in New York state, going home to Long Island still makes him nervous because of the increased infection rates there. Owens plans to quarantine when he gets home before coming into contact with his family. 

“I’m a little bit nervous to go back to Long Island because it’s safer up here,” Owens said. “But I want to go see my family.” 

Olivia Galel, a sophomore international relations major from Florida, said the warm weather in her home state makes it easier to see others outdoors from a distance. Galel and her family are less likely to be affected by the increasing infection rates because they don’t go out much, she said. 

“If I keep my distance from others and stay outdoors six feet apart, I should be okay,” Galel said. “COVID is definitely a concern in the back of my mind.” 

Although Zimet often sees her tight-knit group of friends at school, she plans to spend most of her time over break with her family.

“I’m going to go back to just being with my family, especially because I haven’t seen them in so long,” Zimet said. “I was pretty strict when I was at home.” 

But Galel, Stocker, Zimet and Budin all said they are concerned about travel restrictions hindering their ability to return to SU in the spring semester. 

During the fall semester, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s travel advisory required students traveling from hotspot states to complete a 14-day quarantine prior to the start of the classes. The order impacted nearly 3,000 SU students.

Cuomo has since changed the advisory to require individuals entering the state from anywhere except New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Connecticut to bring proof of a negative COVID-19 test completed in the last three days. Travelers then quarantine for another three days before receiving a second test that determines if they can leave quarantine.

“As much as I would love to come back to campus and see my friends, I don’t really want to come back to another online semester of uncertainty,” Galel said. “Traveling from a state that’s not around the corner, I’m definitely questioning when I’ll return because of the big trip I need to make.”