How To Travel Safely During COVID-19

COVID-19 has changed people’s perception of how a vacation should be. The pandemic forced people to reconsider where to travel, how to get there, the COVID-19 testing, and the requirements they need to travel to that destination. While flying around the world might not be that ideal, there are still plenty of destinations to enjoy a getaway while being cautious and safe from the virus. 

Here’s a guide on how to travel safely during the pandemic: 

Try To Keep It Simple

Plan your trip to be as direct and as door-to-door as possible. Try to avoid having a lot of stopovers and transfers. As much as possible, stick to one mode of transportation. Driving a car will probably be the safest mode of transportation during COVID-19, so try to plan trips that are within driving distance. Flying on a plane is also okay, but remember that it’s safer to book a nonstop flight than to book a flight with a lot of layovers. As much as possible, get tested before leaving, and choose local activities that do not require public transportation, and maybe opt for walking or biking instead. 

Drive Safely

Our cars and vehicles are already comfortable to us, so it makes sense to take the road warrior approach when going on a vacation. However, to drive safely without exposing yourself, you should take precautions before you hitting the road.

If possible, try to choose an off-peak time to drive safely. Don’t leave on a Friday when public rest stops will be more crowded. 

Remember to clean and disinfect your vehicle thoroughly. Don’t forget to wipe down all frequent touch surfaces like windows, seat belts, door handles, controls, etc. Make sure to keep disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer within reach so you and your passengers can clean your hands whenever you need to.

When it comes to who goes with you, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends limiting the number of people in your vehicle as much as possible. It’s best to limit your number to your immediate circle of friends. It’s recommended that you wear a mask in the car especially if you’re traveling with someone who is outside of your immediate circle. 

Fly Safely

Those cheap flights are really tempting right now. So if you decide to fly safely in the skies, make sure your airline has measures in place to allow for safe travels. Although keep in mind that staying safe on a plane means more than just wearing your mask. Before getting on the plane, you have to go through check-in terminals and tons of security lines. This means you’ll be coming in contact with people, and frequently touched surfaces. While you might be concerned about staying safe on the plane, you should also protect yourself before boarding the plane. 

Don’t worry about the air on an airplane, a plane’s air is quite clean due to strict industry standards and regulations requiring air circulation and HEPA filters. However, due to the difficulty of social distancing within airplanes, the risk of coronavirus transmission through an infected person’s respiratory droplets is also higher, and virus transmissions from touching contaminated surfaces are also possible. 

The scary thing about flying is that you have no idea who will be seated next to you. But if masking is enforced during the flight, and your hands are kept clean, and you don’t keep touching your face, you’ll be able to fly safely and get to your destination without exposing yourself to the virus.

Lodge Safely

When going on vacation or heading out of town, you’re going to need a place to stay. You can sleep in your car, but it just wouldn’t be comfortable. Some might go for a hotel, while others might go for a private Airbnb. Either of the two can be safe if you’re being careful and are following health protocols. 

Before you book the hotel of your choice, try to look into the hotel’s cleaning protocol during the pandemic. Most hotels are disclosing how they are going above and beyond to keep guests safe to maintain transparency. 

It is expected that these places are thoroughly cleaned before your stay, but you can always bring your own cleaning supplies to sanitize surfaces for your peace of mind. Just like transportation, your safety in a hotel room or Airbnb all comes down to abiding by health protocols, wearing your mask in public spaces, and washing your hands regularly.

Camp Safely

Not being able to go to public places that we were used to before the pandemic happened has caused a lot of us to turn to our local parks. So if you’ve decided to go camping and immersing yourself in nature, here are some camping tips from the CDC:

• Visit the parks that are close to you.
• Stay at least six feet away from others you don’t live with and take the necessary precautions.
• Carefully consider the use of playgrounds and make sure you help your children follow the health guidelines.
• Play it safe when in swimming pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds by keeping adequate space between yourself and others.
• Don’t visit parks if you are sick, tested positive, or recently exposed to COVID-19. 
• Don’t visit highly crowded parks.

Plan Ahead

It’s generally okay to travel, but it’s highly recommended that you be smart about it and develop a solid game plan beforehand to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Get your requirements ready, research your destination ahead of time, and get tested before you leave for your trip. 

“But I can’t find same day results for COVID rapid test near me. What do I do?”

We recommend using Google’s local search capabilities or you can also contact local health authorities for more information on COVID-19 testing. 

It’s important that you test negative before leaving, otherwise, you might cause a lot of problems for yourself, your loved ones, and the people around you.