How To Travel Safely During The Pandemic
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Two weeks to flatten the curve has turned into months of lockdowns, not being able to travel and it seems like no end in sight for when we can “return to normal.” Sitting at home, paranoid to go anywhere in case we might be infected with this contagion. 2020 has been the year from hell in my opinion. 2021 hasn’t started out to well either.
Are you scared to go out? Scared to leave your house. I must admit, in the beginning, I was. Extremely concerned as I have underlying conditions. But with all of the panic, instilled fear, we have learned a lot about this virus over the course of the last several months and I am beginning to feel more confident about the therapies and treatments that are now available, should we happen to be exposed to Covid-19.
It doesn’t help that the leaders in health and science have very differing opinions on the matter, and it is impossible to know what and who to believe.
So, if you are tired of it all and ready to resume living life again, going on vacation, how can you travel safely during the pandemic?
Traveling safely during this pandemic is possible, if you take the necessary precautions. The guidelines from the CDC to stop the spread of the virus haven’t changed much. Wear a mask, social distance and wash your hands. So can we apply that while we travel? Of course we can.
Where To Go?
The primary way to spread the disease is through person to person contact and it has been shown to spread more easily indoors versus outdoors (this according to the CDC),
So, opting for a trip to a big city where there are more people, where you would want to go see sites and attractions such as museums, shops, restaurants and the like are probably not a good idea right now.
So, your best bet is to opt for a vacation where you would spend more time outdoors, such places like THE BEACH (yes 🙂 ), or a national or state park. In our case, we would opt for a beach vacation, we are after all Warm Winter Getaways. As much as we love to cruise, we need to put that off for right now. Our upcoming Friends and Family Cruise has been pushed out to February 2022.
Choosing Your Destination
Like all other articles, we implore you to read the terms and conditions of any vacation package before you book to ensure you know the services that will be available to you.
Check the destination country’s travel restrictions to ensure they are accepting travelers from your country, as well as check with the airline (if you are flying) to make sure flights are available to your destination.
Once you have a destination or a resort / hotel in mind, it might be a good idea to give them a quick call to see what their current occupancy rate is. If you can find a destination operating at 25% occupancy rate, that is great. You cannot go by regular seasonal travel numbers during the pandemic as we all know that a lot less people are traveling right now. I would also ask them about their protocols for cleaning and disinfecting the rooms before and throughout your stay there.
If you haven’t quite decided where you would like to go, you can check out our other articles to find some great travel deals.
How To Travel Safely During the Pandemic
Mode of Transportation
During the pandemic the safest way to travel is by car, your own vehicle. But if you live up north and want to get out of the cold and go somewhere warm, then you will be flying to your destination. So, how to keep yourself safe at the airport and on the plane?
Most airports have new widespread measures to keep people safe such as social distancing and mandatory masks for passengers and staff. Make sure you wash your hands often, avoid other passengers as much as you can, wear your mask and social distance. Bring travel size hand sanitizer in your carry-on bag. You can also print off your boarding pass in advance of arriving at the terminal and limit the amount of bags you are bringing with you.
Once you get on board, try to stay in your seat as much as possible. Most airlines will require you to wear a mask throughout the flight and the food and beverage services might be limited. Try to go to the bathroom before you board to decrease the need to use the facilities on the plane. Contrary to popular belief, according to the CDC, the chance of contracting the coronavirus on an airplane is low due to the aircraft’s superior filtration systems.
Plan to rent a car at your destination? Car rental agencies have adopted new, more meticulous cleaning measures in between renters, making the threat of contracting Covid-19 in a rental car low. Car rental companies, including Enterprise, Alamo and National, have taken the “Complete Clean Pledge.” In between rentals, they not only wash and vacuum cars, but they also disinfect 20 high-touch areas, including steering wheels, seat belts and door handles, among other spots within the vehicles. So, you should feel safer if you plan to rent a car as well. But again, double check with your car rental company prior to booking.
What To Pack
It goes without saying, make sure you pack enough face masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, disinfectant spray and gloves. You might also want to include a thermometer and first aid kit along with your regular prescription medicines and over the counter vitamins along with the other travel essentials you will need.
Travel Clean offers kits that include all recyclable material and includes a 3 layer non medical face covering, disposable rubber gloves, tough breathable booties, sanitizing wipes and a breathable non-woven seat shield, perfect for planes, trains and automobiles. Get your Travel Clean Kit today.
You can also check out our list of carry on essentials to have handy with you if you are traveling by plane.
What to Do When You Get There
Since we know that Covid-19 spreads from person to person, try to avoid crowded swimming pools and beaches. Always wear a mask in public if you cannot stay 6 feet apart from others. When you go to the beach make sure that you set up your beach chairs a good distance from others and try to keep your family and / or group close to you. Social distancing is essential. Bring masks and sanitizer wipes to wipe down the beach chairs.
Try to avoid closed-in spaces like restaurants and museums. Opt for outdoor open air restaurants or choose to eat in your suite.
Be mindful of what you touch that other people come in contact with often. Elevator buttons, ATM machines, door handles. Always wash your hands when getting back to your room or carry sanitizer with you at all times.
I know, it sucks, it is not optimum at all. It’s kind of hard to meet new people and develop new friendships with all the social distancing, but the most important thing is your safety and the safety of your family. But hey, at least you’re at the beach!
I am hoping that this will all be over soon and we can go back to normal, but since we don’t know when that will be, if we want to travel, we need to stick to the guidelines.
What to Do When You Get Back Home
Depending on your Country’s travel restrictions, note that you may have to quarantine when you get back home for 10 to 14 days. You never know if you came in contact with someone who has Covid-19 during your travels. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you may still have contracted it. So, this will have to be factored into the time that you take off work for your vacation. You should check the guidelines before you go.
The other thing you need to do when you get back home is come and let us know in the comments how your trip was! 😉 We’d love to hear from you.
We hope that we have given you enough information on how to travel safely during the pandemic. If you have anything else to add, please comment below. Thanks for reading and have a safe trip.
Kim
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