The travel bubble is opening around the world. With it, comes a whole new set of safety precautions to be taken into consideration. COVID-19 pandemic is very real and can strike anyone at any time. This health article will outline what one needs to know and do when to another location in order to stay safe from germs and bacteria that are present in the air.
Besides that, you will also find some travel safety tips and travel recommendations post COVID-19 pandemic.
General rules to travel safely
- Ask yourself if you are only travelling for a few days or more than five. If the answer is that it will be longer, make sure to pack toiletries like soap and hand sanitizer with you. These items can be hard to find in countries outside of one’s own.
- If travelling by plane (air travel), stay away from people who are coughing and sneezing. They may have COVID-19 or another illness that is contagious.
- Stay away from crowded areas in airport, bus stations, and other public transportation locations where germs can easily spread throughout the air and onto surfaces like escalators and chairs.
- Put a mask on and maintain social distancing throughout your travel plans, domestic travel and international travel
Specific safety precautions when travelling
- When travelling by plane, many airlines require passengers to stay at a distance from one another. This is done in order to avoid spreading germs and bacteria through the air.
- If you are planning on travelling for more than five days or so then make sure that you have your own soap and extra hand sanitizer with you because they can be useful if you do not have access to a sink.
- Choose your travel destination wisely. If possible, avoid locations in the world that are considered as “germ hot spots” or “COVID hot spots”.
- You’re visiting someone with COVID-19 and they offer food or drinks then politely decline their offer if it is something that would usually make you sick.
- Bringing your own food can be a good idea. This is because the food that restaurants and hotels serve may not have been prepared with proper hygiene standards in mind which could lead to instances of COVID or other germs passing through.
- If you are going on vacation overseas, then bring some medicine for any potential illnesses such as influenza or diarrhoea that can be used to prepare for the potential of catching a foreign illness.
- Bringing your own food and drinks or cups when visiting someone is also important because you do not know if these items have been properly washed, cleaned, or sanitized in order to avoid germs.
- It is important to keep at least one meter apart from others especially in the effort to curb COVID-19 infections.
- Wash your hands before and after eating, using the bathroom, or touching someone to stay safe.
- Lastly, make sure that you have a COVID safety kit with enough medicine for one week in case of emergency.
Important note about travel safely
Infections from germs and bacteria are becoming more common as travel is continually opening up around the world. This article covers the importance of knowing how to stay safe while travelling and outlines a few safety tips that should be taken into consideration by all travellers, especially those with compromised immune systems or respiratory illnesses that make them more likely to catch these foreign illnesses.
The whole idea behind this is in order to stay safe on your travels you need to vigilant and stay alert. This is because foreign illnesses, like COVID-19, are very real.
One of the best ways to perform safe travelling is to keep an eye on the latest news (local news) especially in the COVID-19 era. This allows you to keep yourself away from virus hotspots and align yourself with the local government’s ruling.
Some ways that you can stay safe when travelling include: washing your hands regularly with soap and water; staying away from crowds of people to avoid being sneezed on or touched by someone who may have an infection; avoiding unpasteurized dairy products and undercooked meat.
There are quite a few safety measures that one can take in order to stay safe when travelling, but the most important is being vigilant and staying alert at all times. This will keep you away from foreign illnesses like COVID-19 which have been reported lately due to large overseas travel numbers.
Bonus: Stay in rented apartments or houses (instead of hotels)
In the post-COVID-19-era, I personally feel that it is better to stay in a hosted or self-hosted location (such as Airbnb) as you will have lesser contact with a large number of people.
Some of the other safety measures that you can take include:
Avoid travelling in groups
Another great way to travel safely after COVID-19 is to avoid travelling in groups. If you need to travel, keep the travel short and as least amount of people as possible. In this way, it will be easier to keep infections at bay.
Avoid touching your face
One of the worst habits to get into is constantly putting our hands on our faces. This can lead to COVID-19 or other infectious diseases during travel.
Wash your hands often and keep them away from your face as much as possible. Wearing a face mask will also put off the urge to touch your face accidentally.
Stay away from large tourist areas
If you are interested in exploring a new place, stay away from the busiest tourist spots and try to explore lesser-known locations instead. This is because these places have more foreign germs which can lead to COVID-19 or other infectious diseases.
Time your visits
I get it. When it comes to holiday and travelling, it is easy for us to put our guards down. If you need to visit popular locations such as tourist areas, keep in mind the timing and try to avoid going during peak hours.
Conclusion – Staying safe while travelling
The threat of COVID-19 is still very real, and while the travel bubble has opened up around the world, it’s important to be aware that there are some things you can do to keep yourself safe. These safety tips will help keep you alive and happy during your next trip abroad.
What is your must-do tip for holiday travelling? Let us know in the comments below!