The global pandemic of Covid-19 has affected people around the world, not only health-wise but also economically and socially. The outbreak started in 2019 from the Wuhan province of China and has not spread to almost all countries across the globe. The researchers and doctors are still evaluating the clinical conditions of the patient and doing their best to provide the most effective care. With all the restrictions and air-travel bans, the countries are trying to limit the spread and protect people as much as they can. However, there are certain critical reasons, medical or business, that might require traveling. It might be unavoidable for some people to cancer those travel plans. The World Health Organization (WHO), Centre for Drug Control (CDC), and other prominent health organizations recommend limiting your travel during the pandemic, and when it is necessary, follow the instructions.
The experts from top Indian hospitals, such as Apollo Hospital New Delhi, advise people to be careful and take precautions while travelling to avoid getting or spreading the infection.
- Confirm if the Travel Is really necessary in all relevant jurisdictions
This is essential as travelling is best to avoid in present times. You should ensure that the need for travel is really necessary. For employees, most companies have provided work-from-home facility, which is quite feasible for IT sector. The employers who are considering to authorize business travel should check the orders in the state and county for such measures. It is also important to consider the intention or comfort of the employees for travelling to work.
- Ensure you are completely healthy
It is highly advisable to stay at home and not travel if you feel sick at all. Check your temperature regularly and look out for other symptoms. This is a really important point, not only for your own health but others also. An asymptomatic carrier can unknowingly spread the infection to various other. The CDC has suggested waiting for a minimum of 24 hours for a fever to completely subside before stepping out.
- Make a list of item you have to carry
An inventory will help you not only organize the things you have to carry but also make sure you don’t miss out on anything important. There are certain items that must be carried while travelling during this pandemic situation, including a hand sanitiser (having more than 60% alcohol), a face mask, disinfectant wipes, and dry tissues. These items are important for maintaining a level of hygiene and the face mask prevents contact with the virus carrying respiratory droplets (released by an infected person).
- Be careful about touching the surface
As per the reports of world’s top health organizations, the spread of novel coronavirus has been a major problem and it is mainly transmitted by an infected person or infected surface. To err on the side of caution, it’s important to be mindful when touching the surfaces that otherwise seemed normal, including ATMs, escalators, check-in machines, and other such things. Even when you have to use to be in contact these surfaces, remember to apply a generous amount of sanitizer afterwards and take care to not touch your face.
- Limit your contact with other people
As the virus can be spread around by symptomatic as well as symptomatic carriers, the WHO, CDC and other organizations recommend maintaining a considerable gap (3 meter distance) with other people. Avoid handshake or other contact based greetings. This is for your own safety as well others. It is also suggested trying more technology and automation devices for contactless options, such as getting your boarding pass from a machine and sanitising your hands after it.
- Maintain hygiene in the airplane
If you are travelling by air, choose your seat on a plane that may not involve contact with your hands immediately after travel is resumed and try to opt for the window. The best way to avoid infection on a plane is to remain seated for the course of the flight. While using the bathroom, maintain hygiene and use sanitizer. Use all the recommended personal protective equipments (PPEs) to limit the risk of direct and indirect transmission. Keep your hands clean and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Wipe Down Your Surroundings
While sitting in a restaurant or a public place, wiping down the seat can be helpful. Just a quick scrub down of the hard surfaces using disinfectant wipes would be good enough. Although, airplanes and other areas are regularly being santized, the back of the seat in front of you, the tray table, the seat flap, the arm rests, all such surfaces can be infected by respiratory droplets. Let the surfaces remain wet for some time that it takes for the disinfectant to work. Avoid using wipes on soft surfaces, such as the upholstery as it may leave an uncomfortable wet area on the seat and even aid in further spread the germs.
