How To Travel Safely In Current Situation Of COVID-19 Pandemic

How To Travel Safely In Current Situation Of COVID-19 Pandemic — Image Courtesy: Freepik

The entire world is reeling under the COVID-19 impact. People are scared, anxious, and traveling in particular seems risky. The health experts are asking people to maintain social distancing and to travel only when necessary. However, that’s not deterring several tourists from booking air tickets and traveling to their favorite tourist spots.

The reasons why you are going on a vacation with your travel friend during these uncertain times can be plenty. You might have booked the tickets ages ago and are now eagerly looking forward to the trip, or you want to take advantage of the highly slashed flight and hotel prices. And to be frank, we are not here to judge. But if you do plan to travel, there are certain precautions that you need to follow.

Even though the risk of getting infected on a flight by COVID-19 is particularly low, one can still get infected by getting in direct contact with other passengers. And not only by flying, but there are also other very simple ways by which you can get infected as this virus is highly contagious and dangerous. That’s why it’s important to follow a few instructions issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and health experts across the world.

If you are uncertain regarding how to go on a solo trip safely during coronavirus, we are here to help. We have curated a safety checklist for you which needs to be followed in order to protect you and your family from COVID-19. Read on to find more about these tips and ways to follow them diligently while on your next vacation.

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Tips To Follow While Traveling During COVID-19

Airlines and train systems all over the world are taking necessary precautions to keep the customers and their staff safe. These measures include maintaining a safe distance between passengers, using superior quality HEPA filters for ventilation, temperature testing of passengers at airports entry gates, and frequent disinfection of high-end points. Even with these safety measures in place, one needs to follow certain precautions to minimize coronavirus risk exposure. Some of these safeguards are included below:

1. Wear a mask — It is important that you wear a mask on a flight or some other kind of face-covering or shield. This will not only protect you but also your travel buddy from getting infected. You should also make sure that the mask fits your face and nose perfectly and is not too loose yet not too uncomfortable either.
2. Take a window seat — If you can, always opt for a window seat while flying. This safety precaution has been backed by a study conducted by experts at Emory and Georgia Tech University. Dr. Vicki Hertzberg, one of the researchers, said in an interview with ABC News, “We found that the zone of risk really is from the people seated in the row in front of you, the people seated in the row behind you, and the people in your same row — two seats on either side. If you’re in a window seat, there’s obviously no two seats on one side of you. And so you’ve cut down that zone of risk by actually six people — because of the people in front of them and behind them.”
3. Carry disinfectant wipes — While flying it’s advisable that you carry with yourself disinfectant wipes. This will come in handy for wiping off the different surfaces that come in contact with you. This includes armrests, tray tables, back of your seat, and seat flaps. Allow the surface to dry for a few seconds before touching it. But please also note that you shouldn’t use disinfectant wipes on soft surfaces such as the seat cover as it would only lead to further spreading of the germ which you absolutely don’t want. Once you are done disinfecting, dispose of the wipes safely and then clean your hands using a generous amount of hand sanitizer.
4. Do not travel if sick — This is a very important factor to consider if you wish to protect yourself and others from getting infected by COVID-19. People with underlying sickness or those who have recovered from any illness recently should also avoid traveling during these times. This is because even though the impact of coronavirus on different people can’t be known for certain, it’s proven that this virus is more dangerous for old people, pregnant women, and people with other comorbidities. Hence, to keep yourself safe, it is important that you assess your health honestly before making any travel plans during these times.
5. Frequent hand washing — It is imperative that you clean your hands frequently, especially after touching random things at the airport and flight. While washing hands for at least 20 seconds using good soap and water is recommended, you can also use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content. Also, it is advised that flyers shouldn’t touch often touched surfaces such as doorknobs, tray tables, and staircase handles.
6. Practice social distancing — Finding sufficient space to practice social distancing on a packed plane might seem like an impossible concept, however, it certainly is attainable. While traveling, don’t opt for flights that are operating at full capacity. Also, you need to avoid physical contact with other passengers as much as you can. Do not walk too close to other people and while standing in a queue at the airport, maintain a distance of 6ft from other people.
7. Minimize human contact — There are several ways you can adhere to this safety norm. For instance, you can opt for web check-in to not only skip the long queues but also avoid any human contact. You can also get your boarding pass from the machine installed at most airports instead of the flight’s staff. You should carry your personal belongings such as your passport and id in a plastic zip bag and use disinfectant wipes to clean them after use.

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Important Precautions For Travelers For Traveling Amid The Coronavirus

1. Check COVID-19 updates of your travel destination — Before traveling to any travel destination, it would be vital to check the health updates of that place. If the number of COVID-19 cases in that particular country is increasing significantly every passing day, you might want to reconsider visiting that country. Going to a high-risk country will only enhance the chance of you getting infected by the virus and you certainly don’t want that to happen. And since tourist attraction places such as beaches, restaurants, and historical monuments in several countries are closed currently, it is imperative that you check the local restrictions before making any travel plans in order to know what’s open.
2. Wear face shields in public places — This one is a no-brainer. While on a vacation, always wear a mask at all times and while you are in any public place, you must wear a face shield. Health experts from all over the world are asking people to wear masks and face shields to save themselves and others from getting infected. A face shield prevents respiratory droplets from traveling and spreading to other people while talking, coughing, or sneezing. You should also make sure that your face shield is lightweight. Wearing a loose face shield or a shield that doesn’t cover your face defeats the whole purpose of wearing it and renders it useless.
3. Get a coronavirus test — You and your travel partner should get a coronavirus health test before traveling to any new place even if you don’t feel sick. This is important as you might be an asymptomatic COVID-19 patient not displaying any prominent symptoms yet a carrier of the virus. Also, most of these countries have made submitting a COVID-19 negative test certificate a mandatory requirement for the travelers, the failure of which can lead to institutional quarantine for 14 days or more.
4. Avoid crowded places — While traveling, you should avoid visiting crowded places such as beaches, bars, parks, popular shopping places, and farmer markets. These places are highly popular and attract a lot of crowds on any given day. Instead, you should visit places with fewer people and choose activities in places that provide you with ample space like hiking, fishing, or rafting. If you do wish to visit popular tourist attractions, you can avoid the peak hour crowd by going to that destination either too early or too late. It is also advised to rent a car or bike for traveling rather than using any public conveyance.
5. Opt for a home rental instead of a hotel — Renting a private home or an Airbnb is the safest option during these times. This way you can ensure that you only come in contact with a limited number of people on a daily basis. It also gives you the choice to cook your own meals, thus minimizing the risk exposure chances. While staying in a hotel is definitely cheaper, the risk of exposure is high there as there are a lot of common spaces being used by a lot of strangers. Before arriving at your rented place, call the management to ensure that the whole place has been disinfected. You should also use your own disinfectant spray or wipe to clean off the commonly touched surfaces such as doorknobs, switches, and windows.
6. Follow necessary dining out rules — Restaurants all over the world are opening up slowly. While dining out in any cafe or restaurant, there are few safety precautions that you should follow. You should clean hard surfaces using disinfectant wipes when you arrive at your table. This includes the menu, the table, and your seat as well. Wear a face mask at all times except when you are eating. You should definitely wear a mask while the waiter is taking your order or serving you. You should also wash your hands before and after eating the meal. Keep a hand sanitizer with you at all times to handle any sort of possible contamination.
7. Don’t touch your face — This might be tough for many people but you should avoid touching your face while traveling outside. While COVID-19 is transmitted mainly through ingesting respiratory droplets of infected people, these drops can also land on hard surfaces. You can then get infected by touching these surfaces and then touching your eyes, mouth, or nose. While touching your face and mouth is a common habit for many people that is hard to break, by being aware and constantly reminding yourself not to do so, you can get rid of this habit easily.
8. Go for contactless payment options — Instead of using paper currency during these times, you should go for contactless payments. Contactless payment options are not only more fast, efficient, and environmentally friendly, they are also hygienic and help in the control of the spread of the virus. The World Health Organization in its report had also warned against the use of paper notes during the pandemic as it leads to the spread of COVID-19. Hence, it is important that you either make payment online for things such as entry fees of different places and hotel charges or pay using the contactless option such as your credit/ debit card or mobile wallet.

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Conclusion

These are uncertain and unexpected times that we are living in. Coronavirus has changed the way people normally function. There is no facet of human life left unaffected including traveling which has been impacted significantly. And while the future is highly uncertain, we can employ certain measures to keep ourselves and our near ones safe. If you wish to travel during COVID-19 times, follow the above instructions to help control the spread of the virus.