8 Safety Essentials When Travelling During the Pandemic
With the widespread rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, travel is slowly opening up. However, it would be best if you still took precautions while travelling; COVID-19 is still at large. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that even if you’re fully vaccinated, you must protect yourself as international travel increases your chances of acquiring new COVID-19 variants. Follow the World Health Organization protocols, such as getting tested before travelling, social distancing, and wearing personal protective clothing.
The following are safety essentials you need when travelling during the pandemic
Related: “Ultimate Travel Guide to Vietnam”
Tissues
It is more advisable to have tissues with you when travelling instead of handkerchiefs. You can use them to blow your nose and sneeze or cough into, then dispose of them. Additionally, tissues come in handy when you need to touch or pick up items that may have bacteria, like hotel room remotes and key cards.
Hand sanitisers and disinfectant wipes
Washing your hands is the best way to keep them clean and germ-free. However, when travelling, you may not have access to handwashing soap and running water. As an alternative, the CDC recommends using a sixty percent alcohol-content hand sanitiser before and after eating or using public facilities.
Have with you disinfecting spray or wipes when travelling; they come in handy. You can use these to wipe public surfaces like doorknobs in the hotel room before touching them, especially on your arrival. In the absence of a hand sanitiser, you can use disinfecting wipes for your hands.
Face masks
Whether you’re vaccinated or not, you must wear a face mask when travelling to keep yourself and those around you safe. Although wearing a mask throughout a journey may be uncomfortable, it doesn’t interfere with your ability to breathe, even for those with chronic heart and lung problems. Whether reusable or disposable, wearing a face mask compensates for the lack of enough distance while travelling. Ensure that your face mask is fitting, especially for the kids, because a non-fitting one defeats the purpose of wearing a mask.
Home COVID-19 test kit
Regular testing for COVID-19 is essential, especially if you travel often. Many places now require you to be tested three days before travelling and upon arrival. Although you can access free testing, you can minimise your exposure by conducting an at-home COVID test in the hotel room, then mail it for the results. Within two days, you can have your lab results.
Full coverage clothing
When travelling, it’s not just your palms that come into contact with surfaces. If you have exposed arms and legs, you contact the seats and other people’s skin. While this may not exactly expose you to a viral infection like COVID-19, wearing full-coverage clothing can make you feel more comfortable while travelling. It reduces the need for using a travel blanket and keeps things lightweight. You can purchase some light and comfortable jeans online and long-arm t-shirts and blouses.
Phone sanitiser
Even if you minimise contact with surfaces while outside or regularly wash your hands, it becomes a bacteria hotspot if you don’t sanitise your phone. Your phone acquires germs from all the surfaces you place it on and the countless times you touch it before cleaning your hands. Keep your phone germ-free by travelling with a phone sanitiser; it effectively kills germs within six minutes. Also, you can use it to sanitise other things like your credit cards and keys.
Reusable snack bags
Regardless of whether you’re driving, taking the bus, train, or flying, the fewer things you touch while travelling during the pandemic, the better. Due to the many stops you may have to make, including getting snacks or lunch, it’s better to have reusable snack bags. Alternatively, carry enough snacks from home to prevent the need to get more from the vending machine that increases contact with exposed surfaces.
Storage bags
Travelling during a pandemic is hectic already; having items disorganised makes it so much worse. To make your travel experience easy and enjoyable, it’s essential to have a storage bag/s with multiple pockets. You can arrange other safety essentials, such as your hand sanitisers, extra masks, water, tissues, and food items separately. Have a section for those items that are fresh and a different section for the used ones. This way, you avoid contaminating items when trying to access them.
Travelling during COVID-19 is challenging, but for some, it is unavoidable. Taking care of yourself means protecting your loved ones and those around you. You can make that possible by carrying safety essentials, like face masks, hand sanitisers, tissues, reusable snack bags, and a phone sanitiser while storing them safely.
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