Safe Travels in The Post-COVID World
By Travel Desk
Tuesday, July 14, 2020.
As parts of the world start reopening, passionate travellers are already plotting their next destination to make up for the past six months of being stuck inside. However, while the opportunity to experience something other than the four walls of your home is exciting, it's important to remember that the COVID is not gone. So you must still exercise caution no matter where you go in the world.
And travel as you remember it will be different entirely. Because of this, it's essential to consider how you can travel safely, for both your benefit and the benefit of others around you. Many things will be different, and many others that will be expected of you if you want to enter the country so here is advice on how you can travel safely in the post-COVID world.
Long Lines
From immigration lines to waiting to enter attractions, the lines will be long, especially for the most popular places in each country. This won't just because people want to catch up on all the missed travel, but also because of new entry policies that many countries may start to adopt.
This will be especially true of places that have more or less eradicated the virus, such as New Zealand. Due to social distancing measures (which are dependent on the country), you will also not be able to cram as many people into waiting lines as possible, and instead respect the two-metre distance. This will ensure your safety, but you'll also need to wait longer.
A Different Kind of Packing
Before Coronavirus struck, the usual packing ritual consisted of sunglasses, beach shorts, sunscreen and that book you've been dying to get to. However, you can expect this to change if you need to travel in the coming months.
So what will you need to bring instead? Plenty of hand sanitizer is a certainty, as are face masks. You may not be able to get away with just one face mask, either, so you may need several disposable or reusable masks that you can switch out and wash each day. Of course, there are restrictions for how much liquid you can take with you, so bear this in mind when packing all the disinfectant you can.
Always Travel Insurance
For long trips, travel insurance is a must, but there are still people who don't consider it necessary for weekend getaways or work trips. Due to the risk of flights being cancelled due to a sudden spike in cases, you must make sure that you invest in flight cancellation and travel insurance when booking flights.
Some insurance companies or banks may not cover you travelling to certain places either, especially if there are still doubts over the prevalence of the virus. This should be a sign to hold off your trip until you are confident. However, this isn't always possible, so check with your insurance company or work with one that will cover you to make sure you don't spend all this money for nothing.
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Trains Over Planes
Aeroplanes are the most convenient way to get around, but the thought of spending hours stuck in a stuffy metal chamber with many people who may or may not be infected shouldn't appeal to anybody. Because of this, you're likely to look towards other means of travel.
While taking a road trip sounds fun, it's not always possible, so you may need to take the train or a bus. Although these share some similarities with planes, you can at least open the windows to let the air in and get outside if you take a break at the halfway point. Still, even this could be risky, as you don't know who has passed through before you. So, no matter what mode of transport you take, exercise caution.
The Safest Air
Companies and countries may also start using the safest air as a selling point. For the majority of travellers, it's unlikely you've ever considered the air quality to be that important. Still, as airlines and the travel industry try to get back on their feet, it could help them attract customers.
The better the air filtration, the safer you (should) be. Advanced models will clean the air more efficiently, and if air travel is the only way to get to your destination, it's something you may put a more significant focus on.
Inflated Prices
Even though airlines, hotels, hostels, and resorts will want to attract as many people as possible, they will also need to recoup the losses they have experienced throughout the year. This means that your usual destination is likely to be much more expensive than what you are used to.
This poses a tricky problem. The businesses need to survive, but are you the one who should pay for this? In some destinations, you could witness extreme price rises, and this could put you off visiting until things get back to normal. If everybody thinks like this, though, it could take years to get back to normal. There must be a balance between getting the business back on track while still being affordable for the average citizen.
Where To Stay?
There are many types of travellers. You have your luxury travellers, you have your shoestring travellers. You have the travellers that are somewhere in between. This can pose a problem when considering where to stay.
If you're used to hostels, which typically pack dozens of people in a single dorm at once, you might be apprehensive about returning to your favourite place. Hotels would be safer than this, but they still have shared spaces, such as the pool area and bathrooms. Perhaps it's better to look at an Airbnb, although even the owners of these will need to prove that they have undertaken the proper measures to ensure your safety and the safety of future guests.
Reduced Capacity
Some places may try to work around this safety issue by reducing the capacity. While this can help put your mind at ease, it could also make areas more difficult to book a room.
It's not just hotels and hostels, either, but also campsites that may want to keep groups as low as possible to maximize the potential for social distancing and keep communal areas as empty as possible. Campsites might also create policies around who can use certain areas when, as well as encourage you to bring as much of your own equipment as you can to reduce the need for you to stock up on supplies.
More Than Your Passport
Anywhere you go overseas, you will need a passport, but there is a chance that you will need to show more than that to ensure safe travel. While some countries are testing and recommending isolation upon arrival, this can take a long time. You might need to show a doctor's note demonstrating immunity.
Furthermore, if you've taken a road trip, especially with a customized plate, make sure you follow the correct Reg Transfers procedures to minimize trouble crossing the borders. Some immigration officers may look for any excuse to refuse entry, and they will want to know where you have come from. As some people will always try to circumvent the rules, border agents will be on high alert for anyone coming from high-risk nations.
Safe Travels
There will be some travellers who are happy to wait it out for a little longer before they can experience the world the way they want to. But if you're unable to resist the travel itch (or even have no choice but to go overseas), then understanding what to expect, and what is expected of you, will make your trip much more manageable, stress-free and above all safe.