The Covid-19 Pandemic has all but completely stopped international travel for over a year. As borders begin to reopen and travel bans ease, we are all itching to get out of the house and fulfil our passion for travel. It is so important, however, that everyone stays vigilant and remembers just how dangerous this virus can be.
Traveling During The Pandemic? Here Are Safety Tips You Should Know By Heart
To help everyone keep themselves and the rest of their party safe, here are safety tips you should know by heart when travelling during the pandemic.
Do the Right Preparation
As you are making your travel plans, there are several issues you should consider. If you have been vaccinated against COVID-19, wait 2 weeks after getting your second dose to travel. After your body fully builds protection against the virus, you are less likely to spread it or become infected, and you can travel safely to most destinations.
When deciding on a destination, don’t forget to check out the local requirements, restrictions, and situations to save yourself from unpleasant surprises when you arrive. Some areas may require you to wear a mask in public or even to quarantine for up to 20 days.
When it comes to packing for your trip, it’s important to take any medicine and other health supplies you may need such as face masks, tissues, alcohol-based hand sanitiser, disinfectant wipes (at least 70% alcohol) for surfaces, and a thermometer.
Choose the Right Transportation
For many destinations, air travel may be your only option but this means spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which will bring you into close contact with crowds of people and frequently touched surfaces.
Though viruses don’t spread easily on flights due to how the air circulates and is filtered, crowded flights make social distancing difficult. The ideal option for air travel during the pandemic is to use a jet charter company rather than commercial flights.
This will reduce your exposure to crowds and frequently touched surfaces, as passengers on private jets don’t have to wait in line. Instead, you and the rest of your party will have a private check-in process and only need to think about your own personal safety procedures.
If you travel by car, you will have the flexibility to make stops along the way for gas, food, and bathroom breaks. However, these stops can put you and your loved ones in close contact with other people as well as exposed surfaces.
On public transport such as buses and trains, you are even more likely to increase your risk of contracting Covid-19 by coming in contact with crowds. If this is your only travel option, it’s important to protect yourself as best you can by wearing a mask and trying to stay as socially distanced as possible.
Consider Accommodation Options
Your accommodation choice can also affect your risk of being infected by the virus. The best choice is to stay in a vacation rental with people from your household or fully vaccinated people.
If there are none available, however, you can stay in a hotel and avoid busy areas like the restaurant by ordering room service. Until the pandemic is over, it is not advisable to stay in hostels or other dormitory-style accommodation because these are ideal conditions for the virus to spread between guests.
Also, make sure you have your own accessories that are required during the travel. Do not use the ones that hotels provide you with. Some of the travel gears like Soaps, towels, sanitizers etc. must be separate and you should keep them along with you. There are soaps available that prevent the bacteria growth. For the towels, you can opt for Mizu antibacterial towel. Mizu is the world’s best antibacterial towel that comes with self cleaning Silver fiber that changes color when the dirt builds up. It is effective in eliminating the 99.9% bacteria growth and will keep you and your loved ones safe.
Be Careful About What You Eat
When choosing a restaurant, remember to check the restaurant’s virus prevention practices. It’s important to make sure that the restaurant of your choice follows safe social distancing protocols, and that the employees wear masks while serving your food. For a safer option, you can stay in self-catering accommodation so that you know exactly how your food has been prepared.
Although vaccination holds promise for the end of the pandemic, that won’t happen overnight. Preparing before your trip is crucial, but that won’t be enough if you’re not careful while you are travelling.
Conclusion | Traveling During The Pandemic
As COVID-19 is mainly spread through close contact with other people, the more people you come into contact with, the more likely it will spread. It’s best if you can limit your contact to just members of your travel party and fully vaccinated people.