Staying safe while visiting the beach

With summer on its final home stretch, many families are taking last-minute trips to the beach before the fall season kicks in and school is in high gear.

It goes without saying that due to COVID-19, many international trips were cancelled and so a lot of families are choosing a domestic beach vacation this year – and Panama City Beach, Florida is a major hotspot.

However, just because you are on vacation doesn\’t mean COVID has disappeared. You must stay aware of the pandemic. Whatever you’re doing at home, you really need to be doing when you travel. Those extra precautions of hand washing, hand sanitizer, it’s all very important.

Stay at well-known hotels. Those are the kinds of places that will have corporate policies over how their cleaning, what they are doing, they may have more staff available to keep things more sanitary.

You should make sure you are staying at least six feet away from people you don\’t live with and you should also make sure you aren\’t sharing any food, supplies, equipment or toys with people you don\’t live with.

Restaurants on the beach are open, but masks are now mandatory for entry – to all businesses for that matter. So bring your mask and always have it handy and ready to put on.

Restaurants are eager to serve you, but could be at restricted capacities or limited staffing, and so, giving yourself more time is a good idea in case there is a wait. Make reservations wherever they are accepted and that will also help so that you’re not frustrated. Your trip should be enjoyable and memorable and it’s important to understand that everyone is facing the same challenges.

With that said, please have a great end to your summer and enjoy the beach!