5 Travel Tips to Stay Safe During Uncertain Times

If you plan on traveling soon, the most important thing you can do is stay in the know on all the safety tips that you should follow.

11:09 15 July 2020

During the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, travel can seem like an impossible feat. Yet, for many, it remains part of their reality. Whether it’s to visit a sick loved one, attend a funeral, or even negotiate an all-important business deal, many people find that they must still travel even in the midst of the raging pandemic.

 

Today, we are covering 5 travel safety tips that you should keep in mind during your next journey.

 

Wear a mask

 

First, the easiest step you can take is simply to wear a mask while traveling. Wearing a mask has two main benefits:

 

1. It keeps you safe from airborne water droplets that may be carrying the coronavirus.
   
   
2. It keeps others safe from any airborne water droplets that you may expel through a cough or sneeze.
   
   

The coronavirus is carried primarily through airborne water droplets, like those that people expel when they cough, sneeze, or speak loudly. If you and everyone near you is wearing a mask, this significantly lowers everyone’s risk of contracting the virus through these water droplets.

 

Wearing a mask may feel like a nuisance, and can even get quite stuffy and hard to breathe after a few hours. However, it’s much easier to breathe with a mask on than it is with COVID-19 induced pneumonia, so wearing a mask should be a priority.

 

If you need help sleeping during your travel, it’s easy to take CBD capsules, and can help you relax even when wearing a stuffy and uncomfortable mask.

 

Wash your hands often, and always carry hand sanitizer with you

 

Next, the coronavirus is also easily transmitted through contact with surfaces, like doorknobs and public touch-screens. That’s why it’s important to always wash your hands before eating or touching your face. In fact, you should wash your hands with soap as often as you get the chance. To do so properly, follow these steps:

 

• Wet your hands with running water
  
  
• Lather up your hands with a generous amount of soap
  
  
• Scrub every surface of your hands for at least 20 seconds total
  
  
• Rinse off the soapy water
  
  
• Dry your hands thoroughly with a paper towel
  
  

If you don’t have access to a bathroom to wash your hands, you should always carry hand sanitizer with you. While it’s not a perfect alternative, it can certainly help limit the spread of the virus.

 

Try to stay 6 ft or further apart from others

 

One of the easiest ways to keep yourself and others safe is simply staying far away from them. The water droplets that carry the virus spread most easily over shorter distances, and are thought to be too heavy to carry through the air over 6 ft. So, when having a conversation with someone, standing in line, or shopping at a store, be sure that you stay at least 6 ft away from them—and even further, if you reasonably can.

 

Only socialize outdoors if possible

 

Outdoor transmission of the coronavirus is much lower than indoor transmission, so if you must engage in a social gathering while traveling, make sure it is outdoors. An outdoor restaurant, park space, or other area is ideal.

 

Indoor bars and restaurants have some of the highest rates of transmission of any type of location, so if fellow business associates are trying to decide where they want to have lunch, it’s best to suggest somewhere with an open-air patio.

 

Quarantine yourself when you return

 

Lastly, when you return from your travels, the responsible thing to do is to quarantine yourself for 2 weeks to ensure that you do not inadvertently expose others to the virus. The coronavirus can actually be spread asymptomatically—that means without showing symptoms—so your risk of giving it to others is fairly high if you’ve been exposed but do not yet show any symptoms.

 

To protect your loved ones, try to stay away from them for ten days to two weeks after your travel. If you don’t live alone, try to create a safe and separate part of your home where you can stay without coming in close contact with others.

 

With the right precautions, safe travel is possible. Remember to wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay safe out there!