The world is slowly recovering from the pandemic, yet people are still cautious, and rightfully so. Vaccines are just being released, and not everyone has them yet. But as we slowly shake off the quarantine blues from 2020 and start going out again, we need to be prepared. Even more so. Many people are feeling a strong desire to go out and see the world once again, but this doesn’t mean we have to throw caution to the wind.
Travelling isn’t entirely impossible anymore, after all, the world needs to open up. Businesses like restaurants and hotels are reopening, implementing safety measures to make sure that everyone remains healthy and safe. Risks can be mitigated, especially through wise preparation and clever planning and that’s what this article will be about.
Here’s a couple of tips to make sure that you make the most out of your travels this coming spring:
Always Bring Disinfectants and Medicine
We all know that cleanliness prevents the spread of disease. Even when we were younger, doctors and health professionals advise washing our hands thoroughly and always disinfect our hands whenever we’re outside. This could not be more applicable than now: always bring spray-on disinfectants, and your personal liquid soap to make sure that you can wash your hands whenever needed.
This will help you keep yourself healthy, even while you’re out and about. While you’re at it, make sure you bring antihistamines. With the seasons changing, it’s easy to trigger any allergies and the last thing you want is to travel looking like you’re sick. If possible get a seasonal allergies treatment before traveling just to be safe.
Don’t Forget Your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Let’s face it, no one wants to travel while looking like you’re wearing a hazmat suit. And you don’t have to wear such extreme protective gear when traveling in open areas. Your standard surgical face mask works wonders in preventing droplets from spreading: a study showed that it blocked almost all of the droplets of microscopic size from the mouth when speaking.
Keeping one on your face at all times significantly decreases the risk, and keeping spares on you will never hurt. You can also wear gloves whenever you’re outside and are bound to touch objects (like shopping for something), but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that as long as you constantly wash your hands with soap and water, you’d be fine. A hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of 60% or above also works.
Travel Close to Home… or an Obscure spot
You might feel the desire to travel somewhere far away, especially to experience something new after being stuck home for months on end. But it’s a wise idea to travel closer to home. Not only will it be more convenient, as many forms of public transportation are still limited, but it also opens the potential of seeing local sights you’ve never seen before. You might be surprised at what your local community has to offer.
Places such as family-ran cafes, privately-own museums, and other quirky sights are often found in everyone’s hometowns, locals don’t just see them often. Enjoying your local area will not only provide you with a sense of fun but also help struggling businesses at a time when they need it the most.
Or if you insist on traveling, go to some obscure and uncommon place. They’re a lot cheaper than popular tourist destinations, and they also have fewer people. This way, you can safely enjoy your vacation at the same time keeping yourself safe.
Plan Everything Beforehand
Planning your trip has always been an integral part of any traveler’s to-do list. But during the times we live in now, it’s a lot more important. Perhaps more important than ever before. Plan where you’re going and look up whether they have strict safety measures. Often, tourist areas with websites explain their measures.
National parks restrict campers to less than ten per group, museums only allow really small groups for viewing, and hotels follow strict measures to ensure safety. The hospitality industry has changed a lot during this time, and it’s best to know what changed before you go there. Planning your trip requires a lot of work and effort, but it’s done in the spirit of safety.
The World Health Organization regularly updates its information regarding traveling. Make it a habit to check every now and then to know the updates and always be on the top of things. Everyone misses traveling and going outside, and it’s definitely possible to go out. But always remember to keep safety at the forefront.
