COVID-19 Pandemic: Do’s and Don’ts for Your Next Trip

While the situation after vaccination has much improved and the rules for travelling relaxed, it is still important to be attentive to the travel safety tips, so your health is well shielded, and for financial security, you can rely on comprehensive travel insurance.

As you plan your next journey, make sure you follow the safe travel tips during COVID-19 by first checking the COVID-19 status of the destination you are travelling to. It is also advised to carefully read through the do’s and don'ts of airline travel to avoid unpleasant surprises. Some destinations might need you to take the RT-PCR test as well as show your vaccination certificate. However, regardless of where you are travelling, it is imperative to invest in travelling insurance.

When the global lockdown was lifted, tourists saw it as an opportunity to swarm travel destinations and celebrate their freedom to roam outdoors. However, the problem was that countless tourists travelled carelessly, which rekindled the dying flame of coronavirus, and the number of cases surged once again. To prevent this from happening again, the following is the list of things that travellers must bear in mind:

• Maintain Hygiene

  The things that we learned during the pandemic, such as frequently washing your hands when indoors and sanitising them when outdoors, should be a continued practice. Being sensitive to hygiene is one of the most prominent safe travel tips during covid 19. Make sure you pack disinfectant wipes for when you will be accessing public places. Also, wear a mask when you travel to public places, especially if you have a cold or cough.

• Maintain Social Distancing

  Several public places have transitioned to contactless services to limit face-to-face interaction. Whether it is scanning the menu through your phone or sensors for opening and closing doors, there are several protocols that the hospitality industry is following to ensure the safety of its customers.

  While they do their part, it is important that you also take care of yourself and those around you by maintaining social distance in public places. This is particularly important for those with pre-existing health ailments as they have a greater susceptibility to contracting illnesses.

• Complete Your Vaccination

  Ensure that your vaccinations are well in place at least four weeks before you travel. Vaccines are a great way to shield yourself from the COVID-19 virus as it reduces your probability of contracting the illness. However, to secure you against any unforeseen medical emergencies, invest in travel insurance. Travelling insurance takes care of the treatment costs in case you get hospitalised (to the extent of your policy coverage) when you are travelling. You can also get vaccinated against ongoing illnesses prevalent in the destination you are travelling to. Common travel vaccines include chickenpox, flu, measles, etc.

• Make a Checklist of Safety Travel Essentials

  One of the most important travel safety tips is to make a checklist of all the travel essentials so you don’t forget to carry important items in the excitement of your journey. Make a COVID-19 safety kit that includes hand sanitisers, disinfectant spray and wipes, a mask, and the necessary medications, particularly if you have a health condition that needs caring.

• Stay Healthy

  When you make efforts to strengthen your immune system, you automatically lower the risk of illnesses. In our sedentary lifestyle, it is important to find time for physical exercise and balance it with a nutrient-rich diet.

Just as it is important to know the things you should do when you are travelling, it is equally important to be aware of the things you must avoid. Here is a list of things you must steer clear of when you travel:

• Don’t Touch Your Face

  Research reveals that we touch our faces as many as 16 times an hour. Unfortunately, the probability of contracting COVID-19 significantly increases when we touch our mouth, nose, and eyes. And so, whether we like it or not, it is important to consciously avoid touching our faces.

• Don’t Step Out Without a Mask

  Since the threat of the virus is still lurking around, it is recommended to continue to wear your mask when you travel. This is particularly important when you are going to crowded places. Ensure that your mask fits you well and properly covers your nose and your mouth.

• Don’t Ignore the Government Guidelines

  Government safety regulations are important indicators of whether your journey will be safe. When you plan your travel, make sure that the COVID-19 situation is well controlled. You also need to ensure that you get your information from reliable sources like the government website.

• Don’t Touch Open Surfaces

  When you travel it is difficult to be conscious about what you touch. You don’t even realise how often you touch surfaces such as elevator buttons, water taps, doorknobs, etc. Therefore, you must sanitise your hands frequently and carry disinfectant wipes to ensure you stay out of harm’s way.

While it is exciting to travel once again, you must not get carried away and take your health for granted. Make sure you follow the travel safety tips and keep track of any changes due to the pandemic. Check verified government websites for safety protocols and read through the do’s and don'ts of airline travel to avoid unpleasant surprises.

In addition to the aforementioned, it is important to secure your trip against unforeseen scenarios with a travel insurance plan. Most travel insurance plans cover COVID-19 to secure you against the associated medical expenses. In these uncertain times, it is also advised to get flight cancellation insurance as a financial safety net so you don’t have to incur losses from your pocket.

For all your travel insurance requirements, visit Tata AIG’s official website. You can purchase travel insurance online from the comfort of your home. But we always suggest you compare travel insurance plans on Tata AIG before choosing the right one for you.