The last few days have changed the lives of travellers, people who claimed to be wander-lusty are sitting at their home and all they are concerned about their travel trips because their passion is on pause and all the credit goes to Coronavirus (COVID-19). There is no need to introduce COVID-19, as every one of us is living in the fear of it and the fear has awakened a detective inside us. As traveling nowadays is not safe as per the health perspective and thus health officials of every country across the globe have warned people about the hazards of traveling these days. The spread of coronavirus impacted the tourism industry the most because all infected and uninfected countries have minimized contact with other countries- as a safety measure.
But if you have a trip which cannot be avoided and important for you more than your health- a trip you were waiting for ages- a life or death event in family or relatives – a very crucial business trip, in all such cases you need to take the precautions and follow the advisories issued by the government of your country. Here are a few questions that you first need to ask yourself.
- Do I really need this trip?
- Am I traveling to one of the infected countries?
- Will my insurance cover the disease while abroad?
- Will that country keep me if I catch the disease?
- Is my family going to suffer due to this trip?
- How many cases the country has where I am traveling and how many of them are recovered so far?
If after going through the questionnaire, you are clear that you are going to make this trip, you need to read this article till the end as we have compiled all the necessary and considerable points you need to know before executing your travel plan.
First, Let’s Understand How Safe It Will To Be Travel?
The fact is: unfortunately!! No-one on this planet is safe from Coronavirus. In other words, every specie of this world, irrespective of age, gender, country, or health-condition, is at risk of Coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic is capable of destroying homo-sapiens and other living forms of this planet. While COVID-19 has shown slower fatality rate, and there are chances that the trip won’t cause any harm to your health, but it is important to consider the aspects listed here:
- Age: Elderly people (above 80) and children (below 10) are at the highest risk of Corona, and the age group 10-39 is at the lowest risk (around 0.2%). But that doesn’t mean you can’t catch the infection if you are younger, it’s like; the fatality chances are lower in your case.
- Medical History: People who already have a disease or similar conditions, are more likely to become seriously ill than healthy people. So, if you have any respiratory disease, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease or cancer, it is advised to give your traveling plan a second thought as it degrades your health even more.
- The Destination: The world has 130,000 reported cases so far and the count is continuously increasing. The origin of Corona i.e. China has the maximum number of cases, but many other countries have become the “Hot-zone”, prominently Italy, Iran, and South Korea. So, CDC has warned travellers against visiting these countries.
Important Note: After visiting an effected country, it is advisable to go into self -quarantine, even if not infected. The days of isolation can save others from the risk of Coronavirus.
How Coronavirus Will Affect Your Travel Plans?
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, countries across the globe are refusing tourist visas to travelers coming from foreign countries. Many countries like have even banned the entries, some of those are China, Italy and Iran, and South Korea. Even the offices, schools, colleges, tourist points can be seen empty. So if you are planning a foreign trip, you may miss the chance to visits popular places, especially the crowded ones. Italy is facing a major crisis and thus it is isolated until April. The virus is increasing rapidly worldwide, thus an unnecessary trip had better be called off.
How to Stay Safe from COVID-19 While Traveling?
If canceling the travel plan is not an option for you, proper precautionary measures are important to take while traveling. To keep the risk at bay:
Clean your hands frequently:
Hands are very prone to catch the virus as they make contact with various infected and uninfected stuff. Therefore, washing your hands frequently is the most essential safety measure. If you are traveling, make sure there is a facility to wash your hands from time to time. Cleaning your hands will remove the virus from your hands and prevent the virus from spearing on other body parts.
Maintain a distance:
It is very important to maintain a social and healthy distance from other people. Keep a distance of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from everyone, especially from a person who is coughing or sneezing. Also, forbid yourself from the activities that require touching such as shaking hands, hugging, and holding hands. It is necessary to avoid the respiratory droplets of people with any sort of infection.
Take care of hygiene:
Practicing good hygiene is necessary, not only because of the Corona outbreak but to avoid the medical condition. Poor hygiene can invite many diseases. Currently, respiratory hygiene is something you need to focus upon. So, keep your mouth covered with a bent elbow, clean cloth or paper tissue while coughing or sneezing. And, once used dispose of the cloth or tissue immediately. This is important to control the spread of infected droplets. So, protect yourself as well as others from becoming infected.
Keep sanitizers and cleaning sprays handy:
Alcohol-based sanitizers and cleaning spray can kill the virus of Corona. Although nothing can replace washing hands with warm water and soaps, using sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be practiced when you don’t have access to soap and water. Apply and massage the sanitizer liquid or gel to remove the deposited bacteria or virus. Likewise, while you stay in a hotel, make sure everything is properly sanitized. Even you can ensure the sanitization by cleaning everything you touch with wipes beforehand.
Avoid public gatherings:
If you are traveling somewhere, avoid visiting the crowded place. The COVID-19 virus spread very rapidly from one person to another, even one infected person in the crowd can infect the entire crowd in no matter of time. So, if you are visiting an infected country, avoid coming in the contact with a large number of people.
Don’t forget to wear a mask:
If you have any minor or major symptoms of Coronavirus, cover your mouth with a mask. Also, once the mask is on, avoid touching it. Discard the single-use mask once you reach your place. Wash your hand before and after wearing the mask.
Do proper research:
If you have any health condition or your mind is full of doubts, do your homework before traveling. Make the list health centers, government policies and regulations related to COVID- 19. Also, check the weather, hygiene conditions and status of medical facilities before commencing your travel plan. Keep a list of health service providers of the country you are traveling to. And, if you feel any discomfort such as cold, coughing or fever during your journey, immediately seek medical help instead of waiting to reach the destination.
Does Travel Insurance Cover Coronavirus?
This the most frequently asked question of travelers or potential travelers. FYI, travel insurance will only cover you if you reached the country before the spread of COVID-19. If you travel after the outbreak and knowing the conditions, the insurance won’t cover any of your expenses if you come under the effect of Coronavirus.
Conclusion: Do or do not Travel??
As we have mentioned earlier, travel only if it is required. Do not travel after being tempted by low fares and cheap travel deals. It is better to think twice and consulting with experts before making the travel plan.
