If you have plans to travel, whether locally or internationally, you need to be fully prepared in order to protect yourself from hazards, like COVID-19.
It’s more than just arming yourself with masks, hygiene products, and other safety equipment. It’s also about understanding how travel safety protocols differ from one mode of transportation to another, what destinations you have on your list of itineraries, and how long you’re planning to stay there.
Do you know about the precautionary measures your hotel takes? Does your preferred transportation mode have blocked seats? Where can you get a rapid test done? Do you need to self-quarantine when you arrive? These are some of the questions you need to ask before you hit the road in your own vehicle or via mass transit.
Here are a few travel safety tips to help you feel safer when travelling during the pandemic.
Know the Basics for Your Safety
COVID-19 can be transmitted to and from people within close proximity of each other. For this reason, social distancing protocols were put in place. Avoid crowded places and remember to stay at least 6 feet away from people when you’re in a public place. Observing proper hand hygiene and following respiratory etiquette (e.g. use of face masks) also reduces the risk of transmitting or catching the virus.
Other essential measures of prevention, as outlined by WHO (World Health Organization) and other health authorities, include:
- Washing your hands properly
- Disinfecting often touched items (e.g. phones and laptops)
- Refraining from touching your face
- Sneezing and coughing into your handkerchief
- Staying home when you’re sick
Check the COVID-19 Sanitizing Protocol of Your Hotel
To reduce prolonged exposure and the possible risk of transmission, stay at a hotel or Airbnb with high standards of safety and sanitation. It’s even better if the hotel has its own on-call nurse or doctor for emergency cases. If you’re staying for just a few days, you can refuse daily housekeeping service to minimize interactions with others.
Assess the Infection Rate
If you want to have a safe trip, it’s essential to check the coronavirus rate at your destination. If you’re going to a hot zone, know there are more risks than just getting infected. Areas with a high number of cases may be operating at full capacity and experiencing a shortage of medical staff and supply. You may not be able to get the assistance you need. Check the area’s COVID-19 rate through the website of its local public health department before going on a trip.
Look for Testing Sites in Your Destination
Even if the city or country you’re visiting doesn’t require a test prior to your entry and even if you’re not showing any symptoms, be responsible and get tested. This will keep transmission risks at a minimum. Not all those who’ve been infected with COVID-19 show symptoms. In fact, one of the more insidious characteristics of this virus is that a great number are asymptomatic. Even if people don’t feel sick themselves, they can be spreading the virus unwittingly. In addition, you should also check whether or not COVID-19-related tests and medical services are covered under your insurance plan.
Think About Your Health and Your Host’s
When travelling during the COVID-19 pandemic, make sure to take note of certain factors. Is anyone you are travelling with at risk for COVID-19? How about you? People with underlying illnesses (including kidney diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart conditions) and older adults are more susceptible to the virus and will become seriously ill.
In case you fall into any of these categories, travelling to crowded places with tons of people is definitely risky. For a safer trip, opt for more isolated locations or places with fewer people.
Choose Your Transportation
According to experts, these days, driving is the safest mode of transit, especially if you can reach your destination within a day. This is because it significantly limits your in-person interactions with other people.
Boarding a plane can also be safe, as long as proper safety measures are observed. Choose an airline that observes strict sanitization processes and ensures social distancing between passengers. Find out if their planes block middle seats.
Wear your mask all the time during the flight, especially when nearby passengers take off theirs to drink or eat. It’s best to download the airline app before arriving at the airport since boarding pass screens are high-touch surfaces. This is one way to mitigate the transmission of diseases in the community.
If you choose to travel by bus, be extra careful since most have poor ventilation systems compared to those on planes. If there’s no proper ventilation, it can result in shortness of breath, severe headaches, and fatigue. Having a good ventilation system can counter all of these while also helping to expel microbes, pollutants, and moisture from the air.
Takeout or Prepare Food Yourself
Choosing to eat at an outdoor restaurant is safe, though not as low-risk as opting for curbside pickup or cooking your own meals. Just make sure the restaurant is strictly following the safety protocol. See if their employees are wearing masks and tables are placed far apart to adhere to social distancing. It’s also best if the establishment uses digital menus instead of reusable ones.
Don’t Drop Your Guard
It may be tempting to be a bit carefree when on vacation, but this is one thing you absolutely should not do. Be vigilant at all times, especially when in public spaces. Make sure to follow the general safety measures. Avoid touching your face, wash your hands regularly, observe physical distancing between yourself and others, and always wear your mask when you’re outside.
Reassess Each Turn
You will never know what will happen along the way. So, if you or your travel companion come into contact with someone who is positive for COVID-19, stay home and call off the trip. If you’re at a restaurant and the waitstaff isn’t wearing their masks property (like if they’re placing them around their necks), leave. Make your safety a priority wherever you go.
If you’re planning to travel in the Toronto, Brampton, or Mississauga area, Parkinson Coach Lines provides you with a secure and comfortable bus charter service. In line with the standard safety guidelines, we adhere to all precautionary measures for our clients’ safety. Call us at 905-451-4776 or visit our website to know more about our services. Wishing you safe travels!