Covid-19 Travel Checklist: Before you go, everything you need to remember
 |
| Covid-19 Travel Checklist: Before you go, everything you need to remember |
Especially now that infection rates are spiking in America, if you have to travel for the holidays, there is one wise way to minimize some of the anxiety: be well-prepared before you go. It is not only that you may not have the arsenal of cleaning supplies, masks, and other equipment you keep at home, it is also that the procedures differ depending on your mode of transport, how long you expect to be away, and how long you plan to be away.
Does it block seats for your airline? Do you know the specifics of the precautionary measures your hotel has? Do you know where in another and probably unfamiliar) city to get a rapid test? Before you take off, these are just some of the many questions to pose.
TO-DOs PRE-DEPARTURE
Check the travel constraints of your home state (and your destination):
Before you fly, it's good practice to be on top of all the safety precautions, such as state and city mandates. That way, with your eyes open and ready for even the worst case, you go inside. For example, for our annual family Thanksgiving get-together, I'm traveling from New York City to Las Vegas. And while Sin City does not currently have restrictions on incoming visitors, 72 hours before you board your re-entry flight, New York State needs you to take a Covid-19 exam. You will also need to carry a completed New York State Traveler Health form that will be received upon your return from the airport.
(So make sure that you print it out before you leave.) In addition, you'll be forced to quarantine for three days once you arrive. And a PCR test is expected on the fourth day. (Only after you receive a negative diagnosis will you break your quarantine.) Failure to comply with this order will lead to a heavy fine of $10,000. And with that, no one wants to get dinged. If you have more concerns, here's the official position of the CDC on holiday meetings, plus their recommendations.
Check the Covid-19 Sanitizing Protocols for Your Hotel or Airbnb:
Without taking a PCR test and quarantine beforehand, I highly discourage staying with friends and relatives, particularly if you have family members in the high-risk group. After all, small casual meetings such as meals, drinks, and home get-togethers prove to be "spreading events," far more than a holiday meal at an outdoor restaurant, for example.
Consider a hotel or Airbnb with high hygiene requirements to mitigate the risk of contamination and prolonged exposure:
Ensure that in public spaces they require gloves, have hand-sanitizing stations, perform temperature controls, take social distancing seriously, and practice contract tracing. Plus points if in the event of an emergency, you stay in a hotel with your own on-call doctor or nurse. Furthermore, if you stay just a few days, aim to decrease daily housekeeping to decrease interactions.
Take a Flu Shot:
Having a flu shot this year is more relevant. You may not be safe from the novel coronavirus, but it will save scarce healthcare resources and guide them to Covid-19 patients.
Covid-19 Test Sites in Your Destination Nearby Research:
It's always safer to be on the safe side, even if you live in a state that doesn't require you to get checked before re-entry. Think of it to fellow travelers as a courtesy. Remember: not all cases of Covid-19 are symptomatic and you might not realize you're transmitting it. (And who does that person want to be So, do your part and take a rapid test or PCR. And make a note of where the closest hospital or urgent care center is, while you're at it. It also goes without saying that, if you're out of town, you can check at your insurance plan to see what coverage they can give you.
Map out your schedule of travel and prepare your itinerary:
Occasionally, when you fly, spontaneity can be more enjoyable. But with too many unknown variables, depending on where you are, that's way too dangerous. There are some things to remember if you happen to be traveling to a place. First things first: Pick the restaurants, stores, and establishments you consider safe to visit and make reservations in advance. Outdoor dining, rooftop, and patio dining are perfect of course. But if those are not on the table, look at the rules of each restaurant you want to visit, then walk away if you think their standards are sub-par and do not allow social distancing indoors. No establishment should be working at maximum capacity in this troubling stage of the pandemic.
Install Helpful Apps-Related to Coronavirus:
Many nations, cities, and technology companies have been racing to build applications to track and mitigate transmissions from Covid-19. Although I don't think you need all of them to be downloaded, some are definitely worth a shot. The Covid-19 application from Apple, which was developed in partnership with the CDC, FEMA, and the White House, offers valuable tips on best practices and tools. SafePass, the Citizen's sister app, has a Safer Thanksgiving feature that allows you to create a holiday-specific pod that alerts participants to test negative, be free of symptoms, and toggle on anonymous tracing of Bluetooth contacts.
And if you're in New York, the state has Covid Warning NY, which specializes in "notification of exposure," where you're alerted if someone who has been diagnosed positive comes within spitting distance. Other cities and states also have their own place-specific applications, so do your homework and see if there is one for your destination.
Without pandemic basics, don't leave:
This year, Covid-19 took all of us out for a dizzying spin. And the basics of must-have travel look entirely different from what they did, even as recently as a year ago. (I was sunning myself in Miami this time last year with no care in the world.) But no, 2020 is different and travel-related anxiety is a very real struggle due to the pandemic. So make sure you stock up on useful items that will make your ride exponentially smoother and hiccup-free, such as hand sanitizers, additional masks and philters, wipes, and more.
ON A PLANE
Check Your Flight Seats:
Not all airlines are blocking off middle seats as of this writing. (United and American Airlines are definitely not So check if there are better seats that you can move to around 24 to 36 hours before your departure time. If necessary, sit and wear a mask and face protector during the entire flight with a fellow member of your household. And you might also wear Struggles, which feature anti-fog and UV-blocking lenses if you're amenable to it. Also Don't forget to carry sanitizing wipes, such as your armrest, tray table, seatbelt buckle, and in-flight entertainment screen, to disinfect high-touch surface areas. If you haven't booked your flight yet, here's the master list of capacity-limiting airlines.
Limit your consumption of food and drink:
If there's a relatively short flight, say less than six hours, try to eat before boarding. It is a gamble to take off your mask and shield, so try to hang in there and eat until you have arrived.
When you arrive at your destination, what to do?
Set up House Rules:
My partner and I will fly together and stay in a hotel where in terms of its safety measures, we are happy. And here are some of the things we plan to do no member of the family is allowed in our hotel space, nor are we going to visit their hotel rooms or homes. Even family members should maintain their distance from each other indoors at this stage. Alternatively, spend time together outside, whether it's taking an exploratory stroll or sitting on the terrace of a restaurant. Now is not the time, particularly with the increasing infection rates in all fifty states, to let your guard down.
Sanitize All :
If you're staying in a hotel room or Airbnb, before you unpack and wash off the travel grime, sanitize the entire space. I recommend carrying Clorox wipes, a 70% alcohol-containing spray mister, and wands of UV light sanitizer. And if you have a big bathroom or many bathrooms, carry a Clorox Clean-Up bottle in your checked luggage because there is no guarantee that it will be in stock everywhere you fly. (It's actually the hottest product this year along with Clorox Wipes.) Note, it's better to restrict housekeeping, because you'll have to spray and wipe the bathtub yourself regularly. Just think of it this way: wasting a couple of minutes cleaning is better than waking up sick.
In your hotel room, get used to eating:
The days of hotel breakfast buffets are gone. And several hotels have limited options for dining and if any, room service. Also, several hotel bars are closed. So get used to the fact that there will not be any of your meals in a restaurant. Pro tip: bring your favorite spirit or wine bottle so you can enjoy it in your bed, but don't forget the corkscrew and some travel glasses (many hotels have removed their coffee machines and glasses as a precautionary measure). And if you've been eyeing a particular restaurant, but they only offer indoor dining, consider having a takeout and eating the meal in your place. But remember that you can do this only with your household members. You don't want to let extended families in as someone fresh off a plane, train, or other forms of mass transportation and you definitely shouldn't visit them in their homes or hotel rooms because you won't immediately know if you've caught something while on the way.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon