2020 has been a tough year for travelers. Because of the pandemic, millions of people were prohibited from flying all over town. As early as the news of COVID broke out in China, multiple countries opted to impose a travel ban on travelers coming from China. Countries such as Afghanistan, the Bahamas, and Brunei imposed travel restrictions on tourists and migrants from China as early as January of 2020.
When the COVID pandemic turned the entire thing up on itself in America, Americans were prevented from going to certain European countries. It was a difficult pill to swallow, but the restrictions were necessary. There were a lot of people in the United States who have fallen victim to the disease. In a short span of time, the number of victims of COVID in the U.S. rose to almost 33 million.
Flying became impossible to do for the months when the number of victims was at an all-time high. Aside from the advisory the health department was giving out against traveling. It wasn’t as enjoyable to travel now than before the pandemic. Restaurants, tourist spots, and hotels are mostly closed in light of the pandemic.
There are significantly fewer people traveling outside as well. Even locals in most countries were not advised to travel even within their country. Even if you travel, people would be interacting less as masks and social distancing rules are enforced. In an update, vaccination passports will be asked in some of the destinations. The vacation experience will be significantly different than a genuine one if one travels now.
Fortunately, a lot of people are getting vaccinated now. To curb the hospitalizations caused by COVID, different vaccines were produced as fast as humanly possible. Once the world gets back to normal, the economy can pick itself back up again. Vaccinations will allow tourism and render traveling allowed. Hopefully, when the world opens back up to tourists, the jetsetters and the frequent flyers are ready to travel.
What health tips should frequent flyers remember when traveling abroad post-pandemic?
Vaccination
First and foremost: you must vaccinate. Being vaccinated enables you to freely travel without any worry. Vaccination is a top priority for frequent flyers and jetsetters who want to travel abroad immediately after the pandemic. While vaccination can not render you immune, it can prevent the severe COVID symptoms and the consequential hospitalization it brings. You can go around an area without worrying about the potential hospitalization bills you might incur.
Cleaning Alcohol and Hand Sanitizer
In another country, it would still be advisable to bring your own alcohol and hand sanitizer when going outside. It is not always that you will have access to clean water and soap to clean yourself. A small bottle of cleaning alcohol or hand sanitizer will enable you to rub your hands off of any bacteria or virus you may have picked up along in your journey.
According to research, COVID 19 is easily transmitted through the touching of your face. You may have already picked up the virus without even knowing it. Unwittingly touching your face is the number one cause of COVID transmission. Having a bottle of cleaning alcohol or hand sanitizer ready to go anytime will reduce your risk of bringing home the virus.
Masks
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that masks will still be needed even in the post-pandemic. Masks are the number one defense people have against the virus. If you’re coming into another country with the same vaccine expectations as yours, you’re in for a surprise. Not all countries have the same vaccination plans. Masks, even cloth ones, may still be required in different destinations post-pandemic.
With masks, suspected carriers lessen the chances they infect someone else. Masks also prevent you from touching your face directly. While touching surfaces is a low-risk action for COVID, the chances to get sick are still there. Wearing a mask may still be part of regulation for popular tourist destinations around the world.
Other Diseases
Taking note of your destination’s common endemic viruses and diseases is important to properly inform what you might get when traveling. Some parts of Africa require you to vaccinate against malaria. Others alarm their tourists to prepare for certain pests to be present when traveling.
Mosquito warnings are present in most tropical and humid countries. Ensuring that your intended bed and breakfast has an effective mosquito control method to reduce your chances of getting mosquito-borne diseases is vital for maximum travel enjoyment. COVID isn’t the only disease you should be worried about.
Flying to different places was missed. Before you get to hop on that plane, however, you must take note of certain health protocols.
