Now is a good time to think about your vacation plans. There has been so much fear and worry about the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The virus spread from China in January to every continent except Antarctica. Many are concerned about the new virus that has impacted global markets and caused many businesses in China to suspend production because families are asked to stay at home to reduce the spread of the virus. But with all that said, what does that mean for your upcoming vacation? Do you need to cancel your spring break vacation to Orlando? The short answer is no, but there are some things to consider before traveling anywhere for vacation. These five things will keep you healthy when traveling for vacation.
1. Stay abreast of the latest information regarding disease outbreaks and health concerns by following your country’s disease control office and Department of State. In the USA, we have the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC is a great resource for every American to use. They provide timely Travelers’ Health Updates for people to stay on top of the latest information regarding Coronavirus or other health concerns. I recommend that you visit the website or use CDC TravWell app to stay abreast of concerns in the area. The CDC issues travel warnings/advisories for countries/regions. Keep up with the latest information that may affect your travel (even if it is a connecting flight in a foreign country). I also recommend that you register with the US State Department if you are traveling abroad. It informs the government of your travels and the best way to get in touch with you in the event of an emergency. If you reside outside of the USA, your country will have similar resources for you to use.
2. The best way to stay healthy is to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When you travel you need to make sure you stress about doing this. Clean or at a minimum apply hand sanitizer before you eat or when you enter into a new environment (i.e., your airplane seat, rental car, hotel room – especially the remote control).
Recently, were enjoying the Mardi Gras celebration at Universal Studios. As we were standing in line for one of my favorite rides (Transformers), I realized that there are a lot of buttons to push and nobs to turn to keep you occupied. The problem is that germs can live on a surface up to two weeks! If you have children (or even adults that want to enjoy their vacation) it is nearly impossible to not have them touch anything. The key is to encourage your family (and yourself) to wash and sanitize their hands often. Most infections come from touching something and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Sometimes it is done subconsciously, so it is better to be done with clean hands that won’t spread infection.
3. Keep your immune system up by taking your vitamins and getting plenty of rest. The body has less of an ability to fight off germs when it is stressed. I recommend that you check with a medical professional before you travel and make sure you are in the best condition to travel. Boost your immune system with vitamin C and make sure you get plenty of rest. If you feel any bit of symptoms of an illness, have your medical supplies ready. I always keep with me some vitamin C, Zinc, Eucalyptus oil, Thieves Oil, cold medicine, prescribed antibiotics or whatever is needed to ward off or reduce the time of sickness. If necessary, go to an urgent care facility.
4. Traveling with facemasks is not necessary unless you are immune-compromised. The normal facemask protects others from your germs. Because people think that regular masks will keep them safe, there has been a surge in price for face masks. I’ve heard of people paying $50+ for a box and if it gives you peace of mind, get one, but it is not necessary. According to the CDC, “the N95 FFRs is capable of filtering out all types of particles, including bacteria and viruses,” but it is a respirator for health care professionals, not an over-the-counter mask that you see people wearing when traveling.
5. If you feel too sick to travel, stay at home or extend your stay in your location until you feel better. I recently read a post about a mom that took her sick child (with the flu) on a plane to Orlando because “she spent too much money on the vacation to cancel it.” Traveling sick or with a sick child is not fun. Furthermore, it is rude to infect others with your sickness. If you are sick, stay at home. That’s a good time to use that trip insurance policy or contact your travel partners to let them know about your situation. You may be able to reschedule without penalty.
Let me know what you think about this post and if you have any travel safety tips to share. We want to hear from you.