The COVID-19 pandemic has ruined everyone’s travel plans; however, with the talks of airports being opened and travel restrictions lightened, it seems like travel will soon be a possibility. However, obviously, traveling is not going to be the same as before.
You will have to take several precautions to ensure your safety and prevent the spread of the virus.
According to the WHO, the risk of infection on the plane is actually quite low; the ventilation systems in modern planes change the air 20-30 times in an hour. Moreover, the air passes through high-efficiency filters regularly; therefore, the main risk comes from when you are at the airport.
Here are some post-pandemic travel tips that will help you stay safe as you enjoy your vacation; keep reading to check them out.
Pack and use pandemic protection gear:
Generally, there are a few things that you should have with you when you are traveling. These protective items will help you maintain your hygiene and stay safe from COVID-19.
You should have a bottle of hand sanitizer, which has an alcohol content of more than 60%. Moreover, you will need some disinfectant wipes, tissues, and, most importantly, a face mask. Ideally, you should use a KN95 mask, but simple surgical masks are also effective.
Using these protective items frequently significantly decreases the risk of you contracting the virus; therefore, it is essential for your safety and to prevent the spread of the virus.
Though this isn’t particularly related to the pandemic, I strongly suggest that you take a pair of earplugs with you. These can help you avoid the effects of cabin pressure on your ears and make the flight a lot more comfortable. Therefore, check out the AXIL GS Extreme earbuds review.
Be careful of what you touch:
You probably know already that one of the most common ways of contracting the novel coronavirus is coming in contact with surfaces that have the virus on them. Therefore, you need to be very careful about the things you touch, especially in a place as crowded as an airport.
You should try to avoid touching unnecessary surfaces; for instance, don’t lean on the counter when you are collecting your boarding pass. Moreover, when you have to touch something that others use as well, like an elevator, check-in machine, or an ATM machine, you should use tissue paper to press the buttons and dispose of the tissue paper when you are done.
Similarly, when you are handling cash, you should use sanitizer immediately afterward, and remember to avoid touching your face.
Minimize contact with others:
Though it might seem a little weird, we need to try and minimize physical contact with each other, as this can help slow down the spread of the virus. Wherever it is possible, you should try and use machines. For instance, instead of buying a ticket in person, buy it online, similarly, collect your boarding pass from the machine, and remember to sanitize your hands afterward. Try not to eat or buy things from retail shops at airports, and whenever you have to pay for anything, prefer using cards instead of cash.
Maintain social distancing by staying at least 6-feet away from the staff and other people, and avoid talking to anyone you don’t have to.
Wipe down your surroundings and frequently used items:
When you have to sit down, either in the waiting area or on the plane, you should disinfect your surroundings to be careful. Though all planes are disinfected these days after each flight, the same can be done in airports; therefore, if you are going to be sitting somewhere, you should disinfect it yourself.
You can use disinfectant wipes to clean off hard surfaces; however, you shouldn’t use wet wipes on soft surfaces like upholstery.
Moreover, you should regularly disinfect frequently used items like your phone and your wallet.
If you are sick, stay at home:
This is one of the most important points to keep in mind. More often than not, we tend to focus on how we can protect ourselves from the virus but don’t really think about how we can prevent the spread of the virus.
Therefore, it is important that you think of everyone, and if you have any kind of symptoms that can be related to the coronavirus, you should stay at home. According to the recommendations of the CDC, you should wait at least 24 hours after a fever has abated before you go out of the house.
Moreover, if you are feeling any COVID related symptoms, please don’t go out to get a test; you should try to stay at home and take a COVID-19 test remotely.
If you are traveling by road, plan carefully:
Not everyone travels by air, and if you are taking a road trip to your destination, there are some things that you need to keep in mind. Most importantly, you need to make and follow a detailed plan.
Ideally, you shouldn’t stop too much; therefore, remember to get all your supplies and snacks once before you leave for your trip, and disinfect everything before it goes into the car. Moreover, whenever you stop for refueling or going to the bathroom, avoid contact with people.
You should use cards for payment so that you don’t have to make any change, and remember to disinfect your hands and your card afterward.
Road trips are a lot safer because your contact with the outside world is limited; therefore, you can relax in the car and even take your masks off, but remember to put it back on whenever you leave the car, and disinfect your hands before entering it again.
Know all the rules:
Traveling by air is a lot more stressful than it used to be. There are a lot of rules that you have to follow, and you could get kicked off the flight for neglecting them. Therefore, you need to do some research, be aware of all the rules, and make your travel plan accordingly.
For instance, some destinations or airlines may require you to show a negative COVID test, taken at most 48 hours before the flight. Similarly, you may have to quarantine yourself for up to 14 days after reaching some destinations.
Therefore, knowing the rules and making a plan according to them can help you avoid a lot of problems related to traveling during the pandemic, and it will obviously help you stay safe as well.
