After being homebound for so long I know you must be wanting to stretch your legs and enjoy a good view which is not the screen you are currently looking at! There are many restrictions set across for your safety but travel is starting back slowly. Countries like Greece and Italy are starting to welcome international travellers again.
GOB Special Tip: Carry a hand sanitizer with more than 60% alcohol content, disinfectant wipes, tissues, and a face mask. Make sure these are on top of your ‘travel list to pack things’ from now on!
It will be crucial for us to take adequate measures to stay safe and well informed to avoid catching coronavirus. Here are some tips you must keep in mind for your next travel experience to be safe and enjoyable:
1. Do Your Research
Research about the outbreak of coronavirus in the city or country you are going to travel to. Check what the government and health authorities have advised in the city/ country and follow those rules for your own safety.
2. Ask Your Doctor
Discuss with your doctor where you are going. Ask if you need any kind of immunizations. Also, if you are travelling to a place where insect-borne diseases are easily catchable carry an insect repellent containing DEET. (Especially in tropical areas.)
3. Wash your hands!
By now you must have heard this line a million times in the past couple of months. Repeating it once again! 🙂 While travelling as well make sure you wash your hands with soap frequently as it minimizes the risk of you catching coronavirus. If you don’t have facility or access to wash your hands, then rub your hands and wrists with sanitizer gel with at least 60% alcohol content.
4. Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands
If you have been in a crowded or public space for a couple of hours don’t touch your face until you have washed them thoroughly. Coronavirus, as you know, can live on surfaces for hours after being touched by an infected person. And can infect you if you touch your eyes, nose and mouth.
5. Minimise Human Contact
Take your boarding pass from the machine and try not to touch common surfaces. And also, try to pay using contactless options wherever possible (food or shopping outlets).
6. Air Travel or not?
Risk of transmission on planes is less as the air quality is really good–high amounts of clean outdoor air and all recirculated air passes through a HEPA filter. Ventilation systems on modern planes provide a total change in air 20-30 times an hour. From 3.4 ounces TSA now allows 12 ounces of hand sanitizer to be carried by one person.
7. Get Travel Insurance
There are many upcoming options being offered by insurance companies under Travel insurance for COVID19. Do ask your insurance company for the same.
8. Wipe your surrounding
Take notes from “Naomi Campbell’s Airport Routine”.
If you will be sitting in public transport or a restaurant for the next couple of hours you will be touching a lot of objects kept in sight. It’s good to be safe and wipe around. You can use a cleaning spray/ sanitizer as well.
9. But what if I’m a Spontaneous Traveller?
We all love those spontaneous unplanned travels. But for now, it would be best if you did some research and keep essentials items like mask and sanitizer handy. Going into an unknown place without preparations could turn out to be too quiet risky.
GOB Suggestion: Keep your travel bag ready with some hygiene essentials as mentioned above and at least do some research one day before especially if you’re are planning to go by road.
10. Stay At Home If You Are Sick
We often think about how to protect ourselves from a disease but never about preventing to spread it. It is recommended to wait for a minimum of 24 hours after a fever has completely subsided before stepping out. In this time of coronavirus pandemic, it’s important we also think about everyone if we wish for this virus to be contained.
GOB Tip: The best way is for everyone to follow WHO guidelines so as to keep oneself & everybody else safe as well.
“There is no greater illusion than fear!” – Lao Tzu
TRAVEL SAFE ALWAYS!
